Morgen ondertekenen we het contract bij de notaris.

Tomorrow we will sign the contract at the notary.

Breakdown of Morgen ondertekenen we het contract bij de notaris.

• wij: we
• morgen: tomorrow
• bij: at
• het contract: the contract
• ondertekenen: to sign
• de notaris: the notary

Questions & Answers about Morgen ondertekenen we het contract bij de notaris.

Why is the verb ondertekenen in the present tense even though it’s happening tomorrow, and why don’t we use a future construction like in English?

Dutch often expresses the near future by using the present tense with a time adverb. So Morgen ondertekenen we... is perfectly normal. You can add zullen for emphasis (Morgen zullen we het contract ondertekenen...), but it’s not required.

Why does ondertekenen come immediately after Morgen instead of at the end of the sentence?

Dutch main clauses follow the V2 rule: the finite verb occupies the second slot. With Morgen in the first position, the verb must follow it.

Isn’t ondertekenen a separable verb? Shouldn’t the prefix onder go to the end, like we tekenen het contract onder?

In this context ondertekenen is treated as an inseparable verb, so you keep it together and don’t split off the prefix.

Can I front bij de notaris instead of Morgen, as in Bij de notaris ondertekenen we morgen het contract?

Yes. Whatever element you put in first position must be followed by the verb in second position. So Bij de notaris ondertekenen we morgen het contract is correct.

Why do we say bij de notaris and not in de notaris or op de notaris?

Use bij to indicate location at a person or profession. A notary is a person, so you go bij de notaris. If you wanted the building, you’d say in het kantoor van de notaris or op het kantoor van de notaris.

Why is it het contract instead of de contract?

Contract is a neuter noun in Dutch, so it takes het. You have to learn articles for each noun, including loanwords.

Could we use tekenen instead of ondertekenen? I know tekenen means draw.

Correct: tekenen by itself usually means draw. Ondertekenen specifically means sign a document. Dropping onder- changes the meaning.

Is we the same as wij? Why not say Morgen ondertekenen wij het contract bij de notaris?

We is the unstressed form of wij and very common in spoken and written Dutch. You can use wij for emphasis or formality, but we is perfectly fine.

How do I know morgen means tomorrow here and not morning?

When used without an article, morgen always means tomorrow. For morning you’d say de ochtend or vanmorgen (this morning).