Twee studenten zijn afwezig vanwege ziekte.

Two students are absent due to illness.

Breakdown of Twee studenten zijn afwezig vanwege ziekte.

• zijn: to be
• de student: the student
• twee: two
• vanwege: because of
• afwezig: absent
• de ziekte: the illness

Questions & Answers about Twee studenten zijn afwezig vanwege ziekte.

Why is there no article before the plural noun, as in twee studenten instead of something like “the two students”?

Dutch does not use an article with an indefinite plural. When you say a number (like twee), you just use the bare plural: twee studenten. If you mean specific, known students, you add the definite article: de twee studenten = the two students (a particular pair you and the listener know about).

Why is the verb zijn plural here and not is?

Because the subject twee studenten is plural. Present-tense forms of zijn:

• ik ben
• jij/je bent
• hij/zij/het is
• wij/jullie/zij zijn So with a plural subject (we/you all/they, or any plural noun), you use zijn.

What part of speech is afwezig here, and why doesn’t it get an -e ending?

Afwezig is an adjective used predicatively (after the verb, describing the subject). Predicative adjectives in Dutch do not take the -e ending: Zij zijn afwezig. When used attributively (before a noun), it takes -e: de afwezige studenten = the absent students.

Can the phrase vanwege ziekte go somewhere else in the sentence?

Yes. All of these are correct and natural:

• Twee studenten zijn afwezig vanwege ziekte.
• Twee studenten zijn vanwege ziekte afwezig.
• Vanwege ziekte zijn twee studenten afwezig. Dutch main clauses put the finite verb in second position (the V2 rule). If you front vanwege ziekte, the verb (zijn) still stays second.

Could I say this with omdat (“because”) instead of vanwege?

Yes, but the structure changes because omdat introduces a clause:

• Twee studenten zijn afwezig, omdat ze ziek zijn. Notice the subclause word order: the verb zijn goes to the end of the clause after omdat.

What’s the difference between vanwege, wegens, door, dankzij, and omwille van?

• vanwege: neutral “because of/due to.” Very common in speech and writing.
• wegens: more formal/legalistic “due to.” Common in notices: Wegens ziekte gesloten.
• door: “because of/as a result of.” Slightly more direct/causal; also used for agents/things that cause something.
• dankzij: “thanks to,” positive or beneficial cause.
• omwille van: mainly Belgian Dutch; in the Netherlands it can sound odd or overly formal. Prefer vanwege/wegens there.

Why is it ziekte (a noun) and not ziek (an adjective)?

Because vanwege (like “because of”) takes a noun phrase: vanwege ziekte = “because of illness.” If you want to use ziek (adjective), switch to a clause: omdat ze ziek zijn = “because they are sick.”

Do I need an article with ziekte? When would I say de ziekte?

For a general, unspecified illness, no article: vanwege ziekte. Use de ziekte when referring to a specific, known illness: vanwege de ziekte van zijn moeder (“because of his mother’s illness”) or vanwege de griep (“because of the flu”).

Can I start the sentence with Er like in English “There are two students absent …”?

Yes: Er zijn twee studenten afwezig (vanwege ziekte). The existential er is very natural when introducing new information.

How do I pronounce the sentence?

Approximate guide for English speakers:

• Twee: “tway” (Dutch w is more like a soft v)
• studenten: “stü-DEN-tun” (ü like French “u”)
• zijn: “zayn” (like “line,” but the vowel is a bit opener)
• afwezig: “ahf-VAY-zikh” (final g is a guttural kh)
• vanwege: “vahn-VAY-ghuh” (gh = guttural)
• ziekte: “ZEEC-tuh”

IPA (NL): /tʋeː styˈdɛntə(n) zɛi̯n ɑfˈʋeːzɪx vɑnˈʋeːɣə ˈziktə/

Is vanwege one word?

Yes, it’s a single word: vanwege. Don’t write it as two words. (Separately, wegen by itself is a different word meaning “roads.”)

Why is it studenten (with -en) and not just student after the number?

Numbers require the plural form: twee studenten, drie boeken, etc. Most Dutch nouns form the plural with -en (or sometimes -s). Twee student is incorrect.

Is there a feminine form like studente, and should I use it?

Studente exists (female student), but modern Dutch typically uses student for all genders unless the context specifically calls for the gendered form. Studenten covers mixed or unspecified gender groups.

Could I say weg or niet hier instead of afwezig?

Not in this context. Weg means “gone/away” (physically left) and niet hier is “not here.” For attendance/participation contexts (class, meeting, work), afwezig (“absent”) is the idiomatic choice. The opposite is aanwezig (“present”).

Can I use ontbreken to mean people are missing?

Sometimes, but it’s less personal and more about something “lacking.” You might see Er ontbreken twee leden in formal minutes. In everyday speech about people not being present, afwezig (zijn) is the natural choice: Twee studenten zijn afwezig.