Learn Hardcore Dutch: Zij zet een kaars op tafel, omdat het avondmaal dan gezelliger wordt. - She puts a candle on the table because dinner then becomes cozier.

Zij is the stressed, full form of the third-person singular pronoun and is often used at the beginning of a sentence or when you want emphasis. Ze is the unstressed, weak form you’d hear more in casual, rapid speech and usually mid-sentence.

What does zet mean, and could you use legt instead?

Zet means “to place upright” or “to put” on a surface. You use legt when you lay something down flat (horizontally). Since a candle stands upright, you zet een kaars, not leg een kaars.

Why is the verb wordt at the end of the clause after omdat?

Omdat introduces a subordinate clause in Dutch, which pushes the finite verb to the very end. So you get omdat het avondmaal dan gezelliger wordt, with wordt in final position.

What is the difference between op tafel and aan tafel?

Op tafel means “on top of the table” (physically on its surface). Aan tafel means “at the table” in the sense of sitting down to eat.

What does gezelliger mean, and why is it in the comparative form?

Gezellig means “cozy,” “pleasant,” or “convivial.” Gezelliger is the comparative, meaning “cozier” or “more pleasant.” Here you compare the atmosphere before and after the candle is placed.

What’s the nuance between avondmaal and diner?

Avondmaal is a slightly more formal or old-fashioned term (sometimes with religious overtones). Diner is a modern loanword from French/English and is common in everyday speech.

What is the role of dan in this sentence?

Here dan means “then” (time-wise), referring to the moment after the candle is on the table. It does not mean “than” (as in comparisons).