Breakdown of We bekritiseren elkaar niet, maar we helpen elkaar.
niet
not
maar
but
wij
we
helpen
to help
elkaar
each other
bekritiseren
to criticize
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Dutch grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about We bekritiseren elkaar niet, maar we helpen elkaar.
What does we mean in this sentence?
We is the first-person plural subject pronoun, equivalent to “we” in English. It indicates that the speakers are including themselves in the group doing (or not doing) the action.
Why is elkaar used here and what does it mean?
Elkaar is the reciprocal pronoun meaning “each other.” It shows that the action goes both ways: “we criticize each other” or “we help each other.” You need it in both clauses to express that mutual relationship.
Why is niet placed at the end of the first clause, after elkaar?
In Dutch main clauses, niet normally follows the full verb phrase (verb + objects). Here the object is elkaar, so you say bekritiseren elkaar niet to negate “we criticize each other.”
Why do we need a comma before maar, and why repeat we in the second clause?
Maar (“but”) links two independent main clauses. By Dutch punctuation rules, you separate them with a comma. Each main clause must obey the V2 (verb-second) rule, which means you need a subject (we) and then the finite verb (helpen) in second position again.
Could we drop we in the second clause and say “maar helpen elkaar”?
No. Omitting we would break the V2 rule and leave out the subject of the new main clause. You must repeat we so that helpen can be in the second position.
What’s the difference between bekritiseren, kritiseren, and kritiek geven?
- Bekritiseren: a native verb formed from the noun kritiek, meaning “to criticize.”
- Kritiseren: a later borrowing from English criticize; meaning is the same but slightly less “Dutch.”
- Kritiek geven: literally “to give criticism.” It’s a periphrastic way to express the same idea. Nuance and formality can vary, but all three convey criticism.
Why can’t we use geen instead of niet here (“We bekritiseren elkaar geen”)?
Geen negates nouns that would otherwise take an indefinite article or number (e.g. een boek → geen boek). Elkaar is not a countable noun with an article, so you must use niet to negate the action.
Could you give a literal word-for-word translation and a more natural English version?
Literal: “We criticize each other not, but we help each other.”
Natural: “We don’t criticize one another, but we help each other.”