Sign inSign up

We hebben om tien uur overleg met onze docent.

We hebben om tien uur overleg met onze docent.
We have a meeting with our teacher at ten o’clock.
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Dutch grammar and vocabulary.

Start learning Dutch now

Questions & Answers about We hebben om tien uur overleg met onze docent.

Why is om used before tien uur, not op or in?
  • Use om for clock times: om tien uur, om half negen.
  • Use op for days and dates: op maandag, op 12 mei (often op is dropped with days).
  • Use in for months/years/longer periods: in mei, in 2025, in de avond.
  • For approximations, use rond/omstreeks/tegen: rond tien uur = around ten.
Can I drop om and just say We hebben tien uur overleg?
No. Without om, tien uur is read as a duration, so We hebben tien uur overleg means We have ten hours of meetings. To express time-of-day, you need om: We hebben om tien uur overleg.
Why is the present tense hebben used for a future event?
Dutch commonly uses the present tense for scheduled or timetabled future events, just like English: We have a meeting at ten. You could add a time word for clarity (morgen) or use zullen for prediction (We zullen om tien uur overleg hebben), but the simple present is natural here.
Why is there no article before overleg?
Overleg often behaves like an uncountable noun meaning “consultation/discussion,” so no article is needed: overleg hebben = “to have a meeting/discussion.” You may also see een overleg (countable, “a meeting”), which is increasingly common (especially in Belgium), but article-less overleg is very idiomatic.
What’s the difference between overleg, vergadering, bespreking, meeting, and afspraak?
  • overleg: discussion/consultation to coordinate or decide together; quite general.
  • vergadering: a formal meeting (committee, board, team).
  • bespreking: a discussion focused on a specific topic/project.
  • meeting: English loanword; common in business, often informal.
  • afspraak: an appointment (with a person, like a doctor/teacher), not the discussion itself.
Could I use a verb like overleggen or vergaderen instead of hebben … overleg?

Yes:

  • We overleggen om tien uur met onze docent.
  • We vergaderen om tien uur (more formal, typically a committee/team).
  • All are correct; overleg hebben (met …) is a very common collocation.
Why onze docent and not ons docent?

Because docent is a de-word (de docent). The rule:

  • ons
    • singular het-words: ons huis.
  • onze
    • all de-words and all plurals: onze docent, onze huizen.
Is docent the right word for “teacher”? How does it compare to leraar/lerares or professor?
  • docent: teacher/lecturer (secondary school or university); used for any gender.
  • leraar/lerares: teacher (especially primary/secondary); lerares is the feminine form.
  • professor: a specific academic title in Dutch, not a general word for university teachers.
Is the word order fixed? Can I say We hebben overleg om tien uur or Om tien uur hebben we overleg met onze docent?

All are correct:

  • We hebben om tien uur overleg met onze docent.
  • We hebben overleg om tien uur met onze docent.
  • Om tien uur hebben we overleg met onze docent. (fronted time = emphasis on time) Dutch often prefers placing time early (Time–Manner–Place), but you can shift elements for emphasis.
If I put om tien uur first, why does the verb move to second position?
Dutch main clauses are verb-second (V2). When you front an element (here, the time), the finite verb hebben still comes second: Om tien uur hebben we …, not Om tien uur we hebben ….
Could met onze docent be replaced by bij onze docent?
  • met onze docent = with our teacher (the teacher participates).
  • bij onze docent = at our teacher’s place/office (location). Use met to indicate the person you’re meeting with.
How do I negate this sentence correctly?

Use geen because overleg is an indefinite noun here:

  • We hebben om tien uur geen overleg met onze docent. Use niet to negate specific verbs/adjectives/adverbials or definite nouns.
Should I write tien uur, 10 uur, or 10.00 uur? What about 10u?

All of these appear:

  • Neutral: om tien uur (words) or om 10 uur (digits).
  • Formal schedules: om 10.00 uur.
  • Belgian usage often writes 10u (the u stands for uur). In the Netherlands, uur is preferred over u in running text.
How do I say 9:30 or 10:30? I’ve heard half tien—what does that mean?

Dutch uses the “half-to” system:

  • half tien = 9:30 (halfway to ten).
  • half elf = 10:30. Other useful patterns:
  • kwart over negen = 9:15.
  • kwart voor tien = 9:45.
  • tien over negen = 9:10; tien voor tien = 9:50.
How would this look in a subordinate clause?

All verbs go to the end:

  • Ik weet dat we om tien uur overleg met onze docent hebben. Word order inside the clause can vary slightly for emphasis, but the finite verb goes to the end.
Is overleg countable? Can I say the plural?
  • Uncountable is most common: We hebben overleg.
  • Countable is also used: We hebben een overleg (one meeting); plural overleggen exists but is less common and sounds more formal/administrative.