Ik zal je morgen terugbellen.

I will call you back tomorrow.

Breakdown of Ik zal je morgen terugbellen.

• ik: I
• morgen: tomorrow
• zullen: will
• je: you
• terugbellen: to call back

Questions & Answers about Ik zal je morgen terugbellen.

What does terugbellen mean, and how does this separable verb work?

Terugbellen is made up of terug (“back”) + bellen (“to call”). In Dutch these two elements form a separable verb.

• When you use a helper verb (here zal), you keep them together: Ik zal je morgen terugbellen.
• In a simple present clause without an auxiliary, you split them: Ik bel je morgen terug (literally “I call you back tomorrow”).

Why is zal used here for “will,” and can I use another tense or verb instead?

Zal is the future auxiliary (“will”). In Dutch you have three common ways to talk about the future:

1. Use zal
   • infinitive for a clear future promise or plan: Ik zal je morgen terugbellen.
2. Use the present tense (especially in speech) with a time marker: Ik bel je morgen terug.
3. Use gaan
   • infinitive (similar to English “going to”): Ik ga je morgen terugbellen.
     All three are correct; choice depends on formality and emphasis.

Why is the object pronoun je used instead of jou?

Dutch has an unstressed and a stressed form for “you” as an object:

• Je is the unstressed, default form for both direct and indirect objects in everyday speech.
• Jou is the stressed form, used for emphasis or after prepositions (e.g. voor jou).
  Since je here is an unstressed direct object, je is correct.

Why does terugbellen (the main verb) appear at the end of the clause?

Dutch is a V2 language: the finite verb (here zal) must be in second position. All non-finite parts (infinitives, separable particles) move to the clause’s end. That’s why the full infinitive terugbellen sits at the very end.

Where does the time expression morgen go, and can I move it for emphasis?

Ordinarily, time adverbs follow the subject–verb–object sequence:
Ik (subject) zal (verb) je (object) morgen (time) terugbellen (rest of verb).
You can front morgen for emphasis, but then the finite verb and subject swap:
Morgen zal ik je terugbellen.

What’s the difference between terugbellen and opbellen?

• Opbellen simply means “to call someone” (e.g. Ik bel je op = “I’m calling you”).
• Terugbellen means “to call someone back” (i.e. after they have called you first). The terug prefix adds the sense of returning the call.