Op vrijdag ga ik niet naar school.

I

Breakdown of Op vrijdag ga ik niet naar school.

• niet: not
• gaan: to go
• naar: to

Questions & Answers about Op vrijdag ga ik niet naar school.

Why is there op before vrijdag?

In Dutch, days of the week normally require the preposition op, just like English uses on Friday. Saying vrijdag ga ik niet naar school without op would sound incomplete or strange.

Can you explain the word order in Op vrijdag ga ik niet naar school?

Dutch main clauses follow the “verb-second” rule: whichever element comes first (here the time phrase Op vrijdag), the finite verb (ga) comes next, then the subject (ik), followed by the rest of the sentence.

Could I say Ik ga niet naar school op vrijdag instead?

Yes, that’s grammatically correct. You’d then have: subject (Ik), verb (ga), negation (niet), object/phrase (naar school), and finally the time adverbial (op vrijdag). The focus shifts slightly, but you’re still saying you don’t go to school on Fridays.

Why is there no article before school (for example de school)?

When speaking of going to school as an activity or function, Dutch treats school like an institution: naar school gaan needs no article. If you meant a specific building, you would use the article: naar de school van mijn zus.