Doordeweeks staan wij vroeg op.

On weekdays we get up early.

Breakdown of Doordeweeks staan wij vroeg op.

• wij: we
• vroeg: early
• opstaan: to get up
• doordeweeks: on weekdays

Questions & Answers about Doordeweeks staan wij vroeg op.

What exactly does doordeweeks cover—only Monday to Friday?

Yes. Doordeweeks means “on weekdays,” i.e., Monday through Friday, contrasting with in het weekend (“on the weekend”). In Belgium you’ll also hear in de week with the same meaning. Alternatives:

• Door de week (slightly more informal/older-fashioned in NL)
• Op doordeweekse dagen (“on weekday days,” a bit more formal)

Why is the verb staan before wij?

Dutch main clauses follow the verb-second (V2) rule: the finite verb must be in second position. Starting the sentence with a time word (Doordeweeks) forces inversion:

• Doordeweeks staan wij vroeg op. (Time – Verb – Subject) If you don’t front a time word:
• Wij staan doordeweeks vroeg op. (Subject – Verb – …)

Could I simply start with the subject? Does it change the meaning?

Yes, you can say Wij staan doordeweeks vroeg op. It’s the same fact. Starting with Doordeweeks gives a slight emphasis on the timeframe (on weekdays, as opposed to the weekend).

Why is op at the end? Isn’t the verb opstaan?

Opstaan is a separable verb. In main clauses, the prefix splits off and moves to the end of the clause:

• Wij staan vroeg op. In subordinate clauses and with infinitives/participles, it stays together:
• … dat wij doordeweeks vroeg opstaan.
• We proberen doordeweeks vroeg op te staan.
• We zijn vroeg opgestaan.

How would this look in a subordinate clause?

Because the finite verb goes to the end in subordinate clauses and the separable verb re-joins, you get:

• Omdat wij doordeweeks vroeg opstaan.
• Dat wij doordeweeks vroeg opstaan.

What’s the full conjugation of opstaan in the present and past?

Present (main clause examples):

• ik sta op
• jij/je staat op
• u staat op
• hij/zij/het staat op
• wij/jullie/zij staan op

Simple past:

• ik stond op
• wij stonden op

Past participle (perfect):

• opgestaan (auxiliary: zijn)

Which auxiliary goes with opstaan in the perfect tense?

Use zijn: movement from lying to standing is considered a change of state/location.

• Ik ben vroeg opgestaan.
• We zijn doordeweeks vaak vroeg opgestaan.

Where does vroeg belong? Could I put it somewhere else?

Default is just before the split prefix:

• Wij staan doordeweeks vroeg op. You can add time specifics:
• Wij staan doordeweeks om zes uur vroeg op is odd; better: Wij staan doordeweeks om zes uur op. If you already specify a time, vroeg may be redundant or you could say al: Wij staan doordeweeks al om zes uur op.

Can I put doordeweeks at the end: “Wij staan vroeg op doordeweeks”?

It’s possible for emphasis but less natural. Preferred positions:

• Sentence-initial with inversion: Doordeweeks staan wij vroeg op.
• Mid-field after the subject: Wij staan doordeweeks vroeg op.

How do I negate this?

Place niet before what you’re negating; op stays at the end:

• Doordeweeks staan wij niet vroeg op.
• Wij staan doordeweeks niet vroeg op.

Is there a difference between wij and we?

Both mean “we.” Wij is the stressed/emphatic form (contrasting with others or adding emphasis), we is the unstressed default. In neutral speech you’ll most often hear we:

• Doordeweeks staan we vroeg op.

Does opstaan always mean “get up (out of bed)”?

Primarily yes: getting out of bed. It can also mean “to stand up (from a chair)” depending on context. Don’t confuse it with the idiom ergens op staan (“to insist on something”): We staan erop dat je op tijd komt.

What’s the difference between vroeg and vroeger?

• vroeg = early.
• vroeger usually means “in the past” (formerly). For “earlier (than),” use eerder:
  • We stonden eerder op dan gisteren.

How would I say “We usually get up early on weekdays”?

Add a frequency adverb such as meestal:

• Doordeweeks staan we meestal vroeg op.
• We staan doordeweeks meestal vroeg op.

Any regional notes?

• Netherlands: doordeweeks and door de week are both common; doordeweeks is the standard adverb.
• Belgium (Flanders): in de week is very common for “on weekdays.” Pronunciation of g/ch tends to be softer.

How do you pronounce the tricky parts?

• Doordeweeks: roughly “door-duh-WAYKS” (stress on the last part).
• wij: like English “why,” but start with a light w/ʋ sound.
• vroeg: “vroohkh” with a long oo [u] and a guttural final consonant . These are approximations; exact sounds differ by region.

Is the capitalization of Doordeweeks special here?

No. It’s capitalized only because it starts the sentence. In mid-sentence it’s lowercase: We staan doordeweeks vroeg op. The solid spelling doordeweeks is standard; door de week is also acceptable as three words.