Learn Hardcore Dutch: De tram stopt plotseling bij de volgende halte vanwege een storing. - The tram suddenly stops at the next stop because of a malfunction.

In Dutch present tense, verbs add -t when the subject is third-person singular (hij/zij/het). Here de tram is singular (“it”), so stop + -t = stopt. (Compare: ik stop, jij stopt, hij stopt.)

What does plotseling mean, and how is it different from plots?

Plotseling is an adverb meaning “suddenly.” Plots is a shorter, more informal synonym with the same basic meaning.
Also, when you use it as an adjective before a noun, you add -e:
• een plotselinge vertraging (a sudden delay)

Why is plotseling placed after the verb stopt instead of before it?

In simple Dutch main clauses, the usual word order is Subject – Verb – Adverb – Object/Rest. Since plotseling is an adverb of manner, it follows the finite verb:
“De tram stopt plotseling …”

Why do we say bij de volgende halte instead of op de volgende halte?

For buses and trams, the standard collocation is stoppen bij (to stop at/by). You’d say bij de halte. By contrast, trains often use op (“op Amsterdam Centraal”). So for a tram stop you say bij.

Why is it de volgende halte rather than een volgende halte, and why does volgende end in -e?

We refer to the next stop in context, so it’s definite: de volgende halte. Adjectives that precede a noun with a definite article (de/het) always take -e. If you meant “any next stop,” you could say een volgende halte, but then volgende still gets -e because of een + de-woord.

What does vanwege mean, and how does it differ from omdat?

Vanwege is a preposition meaning “because of” or “due to,” and it’s followed by a noun phrase (vanwege een storing).
Omdat is a conjunction meaning “because” and introduces a full clause:
• Omdat er een storing is, stopt de tram plotseling. (Notice the verb-final order in the subordinate clause.)

Why do we say vanwege een storing and not vanwege storing?

Most singular countable nouns in Dutch need an article. Storing (a malfunction) is countable, so you normally say een storing or de storing. In headlines or very brief notices you sometimes drop the article (e.g. “Vanwege storing uitval”), but in regular sentences you include it.

Can we move vanwege een storing to the front of the sentence?

Yes. Dutch follows the verb-second (V2) rule: whatever you put first, the finite verb stays in second position. For example:
“Vanwege een storing stopt de tram plotseling bij de volgende halte.”

Could we use a different word instead of storing, like defect or panne?

Yes, both defect and panne can mean “breakdown/malfunction.” However, storing is by far the most common term for technical disruptions in everyday Dutch. Panne is somewhat more colloquial or used in specific contexts (often for cars), and defect is borrowed from French and less frequent in casual speech.