Breakdown of De schildpad loopt langzaam in de tuin.
in
in
lopen
to walk
de tuin
the garden
langzaam
slowly
de schildpad
the turtle
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Questions & Answers about De schildpad loopt langzaam in de tuin.
Why is the article “de” used before “schildpad” instead of “het”?
In Dutch every noun is either a de-word (common gender) or a het-word (neuter). Schildpad belongs to the common gender, so it takes de. You simply need to learn which nouns are “de” and which are “het.”
Why does the verb “lopen” become “loopt” here?
Because in the present tense the third-person singular (hij/zij/het) adds -t to the stem:
stem: loop → hij loopt.
Since “de schildpad” is equivalent to “it,” you say loopt.
Why is the adverb “langzaam” placed between the verb and the prepositional phrase?
Dutch main clauses follow a Subject–Verb–(Adverbial)–Object/Complement order. After the finite verb loopt, adverbials like langzaam can come before other complements. So:
De schildpad (S) | loopt (V) | langzaam (Adv) | in de tuin (Prep-phrase).
Could I say “loopt door de tuin” instead of “loopt in de tuin”?
Yes, but the meaning shifts:
- in de tuin simply indicates location (“in the garden”).
- door de tuin emphasizes movement through or across the garden (“through the garden”).
What’s the difference between “langzaam” and “langs”?
- langzaam = slowly (adverb)
- langs = along/past (preposition/adverb)
They look alike but are unrelated in meaning.
Can I put the adverb first, like “Langzaam loopt de schildpad …”?
Yes. When you front an adverb, the verb must still be in second position (inversion):
Langzaam loopt de schildpad in de tuin.
Here, langzaam is position 1, loopt stays in position 2.
Why isn’t “tuin” capitalized?
Unlike German, Dutch does not capitalize common nouns. Only proper names (people, places, brands) get a capital letter.
Does “lopen” always mean “to walk”?
Generally yes, but context matters. Sometimes “lopen” can also mean “to run” informally, or even “to work/function” (e.g. Dat horloge loopt goed = “That watch runs well”). Here it clearly means “to walk.”