Ik ben trots op mijn opleiding.

I am proud of my education.

Breakdown of Ik ben trots op mijn opleiding.

• ik: I
• zijn: to be
• mijn: my
• trots: proud
• op: of
• de opleiding: the education

Questions & Answers about Ik ben trots op mijn opleiding.

Why does Dutch use the preposition op after trots? Can I say trots van/over/met?

Dutch uses the fixed collocation trots op for proud of. Alternatives are not used in this meaning:

• trots op iemand/iets = proud of someone/something (correct)
• trots van is not used as an adjective construction; however, de trots van can be a noun phrase meaning the pride of (e.g., de trots van de stad).
• trots over and trots met are incorrect here. Use blij met for happy with, and boos op for angry at.

What exactly does opleiding mean? Is it education, degree, training, or course?

Opleiding is a program of training/education that prepares you for a field or profession. It can be a university degree program or a vocational program, depending on context.

• opleiding = program/training (broad, often profession-oriented)
• studie = one’s studies or degree program (often academic); in the Netherlands you commonly say mijn studie for your degree program
• onderwijs = education in general (uncountable; the education system)
• cursus = a short course or class

Is opleiding a de-word or a het-word, and why does that matter?

It’s a de-word: de opleiding (plural: de opleidingen).

• Demonstratives: deze/die opleiding (not dit/dat)
• Relative/pointing words: die for de-words (e.g., de opleiding die ik volg)
• Possessives like mijn don’t change with gender, so mijn opleiding is always fine.

Why is it trots here and not trotse? When do I add the -e?

• Predicative (after a verb like zijn): no -e. Example: Ik ben trots.
• Attributive (before a noun): usually add -e. Example: een trotse vader, de trotse winnaar. This is the general adjective rule in Dutch; trots follows it.

How can I refer back to something with this construction (it/that/what)? I’ve seen er, daar, and waar.

Use Dutch R-pronouns with prepositions:

• Non-specific/it: Ik ben er trots op. (I’m proud of it.)
• Specific/that: Daar ben ik trots op. (I’m proud of that.)
• Question word: Waar ben je trots op? (What are you proud of?)
• With a clause: Ik ben trots op wat ik heb bereikt.

Can I move op mijn opleiding to the front?

Yes, for emphasis or contrast: Op mijn opleiding ben ik trots. Dutch keeps the finite verb in second position (V2), so the verb ben stays second.

How do I turn this into a question?

• Yes/no: Ben je/jij trots op je/jouw opleiding? (formal: Bent u trots op uw opleiding?)
• Wh-question: Waar ben je trots op? (Preposition at the end is very natural here.)

How do I negate it?

Ik ben niet trots op mijn opleiding.
Place niet before the predicative adjective phrase. For stronger emphasis: helemaal niet.

What are the pronunciation tips for this sentence?

• Ik [ɪk]; short i like in English “ick.”
• ben [bɛn]; short e.
• trots [trɔts]; short o, final s is unvoiced.
• op [ɔp]; short o.
• mijn [mɛi̯n]; ij sounds like English “ay” but lower and more open.
• opleiding [ˈɔplɛi̯dɪŋ]; stress on the first syllable (OP-), ij as above, -ing ends with [ŋ] (no hard g).

Can I use m’n instead of mijn? And what about je/jouw/uw?

• m’n is a casual/colloquial spelling of mijn: Ik ben trots op m’n opleiding. (informal)
• je (unstressed your) vs jouw (stressed/emphatic): trots op je opleiding vs trots op jouw opleiding.
• Formal: uw with u: Bent u trots op uw opleiding?

What’s the plural of opleiding, and would the sentence change?

Plural: opleidingen.
If you mean multiple programs: Ik ben trots op mijn opleidingen.

Are there regional differences I should know (Netherlands vs Belgium)?

• In Belgium, people often say mijn studies (plural) where the Netherlands tends to say mijn studie or mijn opleiding.
• Belgian Dutch also uses fier (synonym of proud): Ik ben fier op mijn opleiding. In the Netherlands, trots is the default.

Can I use other prepositions with similar adjectives?

Yes, but they vary by adjective:

• blij met iets (happy with something)
• boos op iemand (angry at someone)
• jaloers op iemand (jealous of someone) Memorize the adjective–preposition pair; trots op is one of these.

Does trots have comparative and superlative forms?

Yes, though they’re less common:

• Comparative: trotser (Hij is trotser op zijn werk dan ik.)
• Superlative: trotst(e) (Zij is het trotst op haar team.) As a predicative adjective you can also use adverbs: heel/erg/ontzettend trots.