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Tijdens de lunch praten Anna en Sofie bij over werk en familie.

Tijdens de lunch praten Anna en Sofie bij over werk en familie.
During lunch Anna and Sofie catch up about work and family.
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Questions & Answers about Tijdens de lunch praten Anna en Sofie bij over werk en familie.

Why does the verb come before the subject after "Tijdens de lunch"?
Dutch main clauses are V2 (verb in second position). The time phrase Tijdens de lunch is put first, so the finite verb praten must come second, followed by the subject: Tijdens de lunch praten Anna en Sofie …. Without fronting, you could also say: Anna en Sofie praten tijdens de lunch …
What is praten … bij? Is that a special verb?

Yes. It’s the separable verb bijpraten, which means “to catch up (by talking).” In main clauses, the particle bij splits off and usually comes after the conjugated verb: We praten bij. In other structures it stays together:

  • Perfect: We hebben bijgepraat.
  • Past: We praatten bij.
  • Subordinate clause: … omdat we bijpraten.
Is bij over a fixed phrase?
No. bij is the separable particle of the verb bijpraten and doesn’t mean anything by itself here; over is the preposition “about,” introducing the topic (over werk en familie). They just happen to sit next to each other in this sentence, but they’re from two different things (verb particle vs. preposition).
Could I place the pieces differently? For example, is … over werk en familie bij possible?

You’ll most often hear the pattern with the particle right after the verb, then the topic: praten … bij over … (as in the given sentence). Other natural variants include:

  • Anna en Sofie praten tijdens de lunch bij over werk en familie.
  • Fronting the topic: Over werk en familie praten Anna en Sofie tijdens de lunch bij. A version like … over werk en familie bij is understood but can sound stiff or bookish to many speakers.
Can I just say praten over and drop bij?

Yes, but the meaning changes slightly:

  • praten over = to talk about (neutral)
  • bijpraten (over …) = to catch up, exchange news (there’s a sense of “it’s been a while” or “bring each other up to date”) So the original sentence emphasizes catching up, not just talking.
How do I say “catch someone up” vs. “catch up with someone”?

Dutch has two handy patterns:

  • “Catch someone up (on something)”: iemand bijpraten (over iets)
    Example: Ik praat je morgen bij over het project.
  • “Catch up with someone”: (met iemand) bijpraten (over iets)
    Example: We praten vanmiddag (met elkaar) bij over het project.
Why is it praten and not praat?

Because the subject is plural (Anna en Sofie). Quick present-tense reminder:

  • ik praat
  • jij/je praat
  • hij/zij praat
  • wij/jullie/zij praten
What’s the difference between tijdens and terwijl?
  • tijdens
    • noun: “during.” Example: Tijdens de lunch praten ze bij.
  • terwijl
    • full clause: “while.” Example: Terwijl ze lunchen, praten Anna en Sofie bij over werk en familie.
Why de lunch and not het lunch? Can I omit the article?

lunch is a “de-word,” so it’s de lunch. You’ll usually include the article. Dropping it (tijdens lunch) occurs in headlines or note-style language but is less standard in full sentences. Alternatives:

  • tijdens het middageten (during the midday meal)
  • in de lunchpauze (in the lunch break)
Do I need a comma after Tijdens de lunch?
No. Dutch normally doesn’t use a comma after a short fronted adverbial like this. A comma is optional with longer or more complex fronted phrases, or for emphasis, but it’s not required here.
Which prepositions go with praten? Is praten van correct?

Common ones:

  • praten over
    • topic: to talk about something (as in the sentence)
  • praten met
    • person: to talk with someone
  • praten tegen
    • person: to talk to someone (one-way) Avoid praten van for “talk about” (that’s a common English interference); use praten over.
How do I make the past and the perfect with bijpraten?
  • Simple past: praatte bij (sg.), praatten bij (pl.)
    Example: Ze praatten bij.
  • Perfect (with hebben): (hebben) bijgepraat
    Example: We hebben eindelijk bijgepraat. Note the ge- goes after the particle: bij-ge-praat.
Can I use spreken instead of praten here?
Use praten with bijpraten. Spreken is more formal (“to speak”) and doesn’t combine naturally with the particle to mean “catch up.” Colloquial alternatives to bijpraten include bijkletsen (NL) or bijbabbelen (BE).
Does bij here mean “at,” like the preposition bij?
No. Here bij is a verb particle (part of bijpraten) and carries the “up-to-date/again” nuance. It’s unrelated to the preposition bij meaning “at/near/with.”
How would I express an ongoing action (progressive) here?

Dutch often uses aan het + infinitive:

  • Ze zijn tijdens de lunch aan het bijpraten over werk en familie. The simple present (praten … bij) is also commonly used for actions happening now.