Wij vertrouwen op onze vrienden.

We rely on our friends.

Breakdown of Wij vertrouwen op onze vrienden.

• wij: we
• de vriend: the friend
• onze: our
• vertrouwen op: to rely on

Questions & Answers about Wij vertrouwen op onze vrienden.

What does the Dutch verb vertrouwen op mean and how is it used?

Vertrouwen by itself means “to trust.” When you add the preposition op, as in vertrouwen op, it means “to rely on” or “to depend on.” It’s a prepositional verb that always requires op before its object.
Example: Ik vertrouw op jou. (I rely on you.)

Can you use vertrouwen without op, like in English “trust someone”?

Yes. Vertrouwen can also be used transitively without op when you simply mean “trust someone.”
Example: Ik vertrouw je. (I trust you.)
But if you want the sense of “rely on,” you must use vertrouwen op.

Why is op placed after vertrouwen and before onze vrienden?

In Dutch, prepositional verbs keep the preposition attached to the verb. The basic word order is: Subject – Verb – Preposition – Object. So you say:
Wij (subject) vertrouwen (verb) op (preposition) onze vrienden (object).

Do you always have to include wij, or can you drop it?

Dutch typically includes subject pronouns, so you’d normally say Wij vertrouwen op…. In informal speech, if context is clear, you can drop wij:
Vertrouwen op onze vrienden? (Rely on our friends?)
But in writing and regular conversation, it’s more common to keep wij.

Why is the possessive adjective onze used here, and not ons?

Dutch has two forms of “our”: onze and ons.

• Onze is used before plural nouns (onze vrienden) and singular de-words (onze stoel).
• Ons is used before singular het-words (ons huis).

Since vrienden is plural, you use onze vrienden.

How would you turn this into a question in Dutch?

Use inversion: put the verb first, then the subject:
Vertrouwen wij op onze vrienden? (Do we rely on our friends?)
In casual speech you might also hear:
Vertrouwen we op onze vrienden?

Is there a difference between vertrouwen and geloof in Dutch?

Yes. Vertrouwen focuses on relying on or having confidence in someone/something. Geloven (to believe) is about believing a fact or a statement.

• Ik vertrouw op mijn vrienden. (I rely on my friends.)
• Ik geloof dat hij komt. (I believe he’s coming.)

Can you replace op onze vrienden with other objects?

Absolutely. Any noun that makes sense as something you “rely on” can follow vertrouwen op. For example:

• Wij vertrouwen op onze kennis. (We rely on our knowledge.)
• Hij vertrouwt op het weer. (He relies on the weather.)