Breakdown of Bij dageraad zie ik de eerste vogel in de tuin.
ik
I
in
in
zien
to see
de tuin
the garden
de vogel
the bird
eerste
first
bij
at
de dageraad
the dawn
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Questions & Answers about Bij dageraad zie ik de eerste vogel in de tuin.
What does bij dageraad mean in English?
It means at dawn or daybreak. Bij indicates a point in time (similar to at in English), and dageraad is “dawn.”
Why is there no article before dageraad?
In fixed time expressions with bij, the article is often dropped when referring to a general moment (e.g. bij dag, bij nacht). You might see bij de dageraad in literary contexts, but the idiomatic use is bij dageraad.
Why does the verb zie come before the subject ik in zie ik?
Dutch main clauses follow the Verb-Second (V2) rule: the finite verb occupies the second position. Since Bij dageraad is the first element, the verb zie comes next, followed by the subject ik.
Why is it de eerste vogel and not een eerste vogel?
Ordinal numbers (first, second, etc.) generally take the definite article (de or het) because they refer to a specific member in a sequence. De eerste vogel means “the first bird,” not “a first bird.”
What function does in de tuin serve in this sentence?
In de tuin is a locative prepositional phrase indicating location. It tells us where the bird is (or where you see it). Syntactically, it’s an adverbial of place.
What’s the difference between dageraad and ochtend?
Dageraad is “dawn” or “daybreak”—the moment when light first appears. Ochtend is “morning,” a broader period after dawn. Dageraad is more specific and poetic.
Are there alternative expressions for at dawn in Dutch?
Yes. You can say bij zonsopgang (“at sunrise”) or use idiomatic phrases like bij het krieken van de dag (“at the crack of dawn”). Each has a slightly different nuance.
Can I move in de tuin to another position in the sentence, and does it change the meaning?
Yes. Dutch allows some flexibility with adverbials. For example:
- Bij dageraad zie ik in de tuin de eerste vogel.
- Bij dageraad zie ik de eerste vogel in de tuin.
Both are correct; the difference is only emphasis and style.