Log inSign up

Het nachtelijk verkeer in de stad is vaak rustig.

Het nachtelijk verkeer in de stad is vaak rustig.
Night traffic in the city is often quiet.
FromLesson 42inHardcore Dutch
……

Breakdown of Het nachtelijk verkeer in de stad is vaak rustig.

zijn
to be
in
in
vaak
often
de stad
the city
het verkeer
the traffic
rustig
quiet
nachtelijk
nightly

Questions & Answers about Het nachtelijk verkeer in de stad is vaak rustig.

What does nachtelijk mean in this sentence?
Nachtelijk is an adjective meaning “nightly” or “nocturnal.” Here it describes the time‐related characteristic of verkeer (traffic), so “nachtelijk verkeer” = “nightly traffic.”
Why isn’t there an -e on nachtelijk, even though it comes before the definite noun verkeer with het?

Dutch attributive adjectives generally take an -e when they precede a definite noun (e.g. het grote huis). However, time‐related adjectives like dagelijks, wekelijks or nachtelijk, when paired with mass/collective nouns, often remain uninflected in fixed expressions:

  • dagelijks leven (not ~dagelijkse leven~)
  • nachtelijk verkeer (not ~nachtelijke verkeer~)

This is simply a collocational exception: you treat nachtelijk verkeer as a set phrase.

What gender is verkeer, and why is het used instead of de?

Verkeer is a neuter noun in Dutch, so the definite article is het.

  • Common gender (de-words): most animate or concrete nouns → de man, de appel
  • Neuter (het-words): many abstract or collective nouns → het verkeer, het water
Why is in de stad placed after verkeer rather than at the very beginning of the sentence?

Dutch main clauses typically follow this order:
1) Subject (Het nachtelijk verkeer)
2) Finite verb (is)
3) Adverbials or PPs (in de stad, vaak)
4) Complement (rustig)

So in de stad is a locative prepositional phrase modifying verkeer and naturally comes after the subject–verb slot.

What does vaak mean, and why is it placed between is and rustig?

Vaak means “often.” In Dutch main clauses, frequency adverbs like vaak, soms, or altijd usually follow the finite verb:

  • Correct: De trein is vaak te laat.
  • Not: De trein vaak is te laat.

Here: Het verkeer is vaak rustig.

Why is rustig not inflected with -e?

Rustig is used predicatively (after the verb is), and predicative adjectives in Dutch never get an -e. Contrast:

  • Attributive: rustige straat (with -e)
  • Predicative: de straat is rustig (no -e)
Could you omit het and simply say Nachtelijk verkeer in de stad is vaak rustig?
No. In Dutch, definite singular nouns normally require an article. Without het, the sentence would be ungrammatical. You need het for verkeer here because you’re talking about the (specific) nightly traffic.
Can you rearrange the sentence to start with ’s nachts (“at night”)?

Yes. A natural alternative is:
’s Nachts is het verkeer in de stad vaak rustig.
Here ’s nachts is a time adverbial placed first, pushing the subject–verb into positions 2–3.

What’s the difference between nachtelijk verkeer and nachtverkeer?
  • nachtelijk verkeer: adjective + noun (“nightly traffic”)
  • nachtverkeer: compound noun (“night traffic”)

They mean almost the same, but nachtverkeer is a tighter compound and more common in headlines or technical contexts.

Could you use a synonym for rustig here?

Yes, depending on nuance:

  • kalm (calm) → is vaak kalm
  • stil (quiet, silence‐oriented) → is vaak stil

But rustig is the most neutral choice for “calm” or “not busy.”

More from this lesson

de middagbewolktHet is bijna middag, maar de lucht is nog steeds bewolkt.spoedigterugbellenIk zal je morgen terugbellen.onmiddellijkHet project moet onmiddellijk beginnen.
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“What's the best way to learn Dutch grammar?”
Dutch grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.

Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor

Start learning Dutch

Master Dutch — from Het nachtelijk verkeer in de stad is vaak rustig to fluency

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.

  • ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
  • ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
  • ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
  • ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions
Start learning Dutch freeBrowse the full course