Breakdown of Op vrijdag ga ik niet naar school.
ik
I
niet
not
gaan
to go
naar
to
de school
the school
op
on
de vrijdag
the Friday
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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.
Why do we use naar school instead of just school?
The verb gaan (to go) takes naar to mark the destination (e.g. naar huis, naar kantoor, naar school). Without naar, the sentence would be incomplete.
Where does niet go and what does it negate here?
Niet generally precedes the element it negates. In ga ik niet naar school, niet negates the act of going to school. It must come before naar school.
What’s the nuance between Op vrijdag ga ik niet naar school and Ik ga niet op vrijdag naar school?
Fronting Op vrijdag (as in the first sentence) emphasizes Friday as the topic. Placing niet before op vrijdag (in the second) emphasizes the fact that you don’t go on Fridays, perhaps implying you do go on other days.
Could you replace ga with another verb, like loop or fiets?
Yes. Gaan is general (“go”). If you want to specify how you travel, use lopen (walk) or fietsen (cycle): Op vrijdag loop ik niet naar school or Op vrijdag fiets ik niet naar school.
What tense is ga in this sentence? Is it present?
Correct—ga is the present tense of gaan. This sentence states a habitual fact or general rule: “I do not go to school on Fridays.”
Could I say Op vrijdag ben ik niet op school instead?
You can, but it changes the meaning slightly. Ben ik niet op school means “I am not at school on Fridays,” focusing on your location or presence rather than the act of going.