Breakdown of De tram stopt plotseling bij de volgende halte vanwege een storing.
een
a, an
stoppen
to stop
bij
at
volgende
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Questions & Answers about De tram stopt plotseling bij de volgende halte vanwege een storing.
Why does the verb stopt end in -t?
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 rather than , and why does end in ?