Learn Hardcore Dutch: Ik gebruik liever pen en papier, maar mijn broer typt alles in dezelfde notitie-app. - I prefer to use pen and paper, but my brother types everything in the same notes app.

Ik gebruik liever pen en papier = I prefer using pen and paper (as a method in general).
Ik gebruik liever een pen en papier sounds more like you’re talking about a specific pen and paper (for this one situation).

So here, pen en papier is more like “pen‑and‑paper as a medium”, not two specific objects, so no article is natural.

What exactly does liever mean here, and how is it different from graag and het liefst?

Graag, liever, and het liefst are related:

graag = “with pleasure / gladly / like to”
- Ik gebruik graag pen en papier. – I like using pen and paper.
liever = comparative of graag → “more gladly / would rather / prefer”
- Ik gebruik liever pen en papier. – I prefer to use pen and paper / I’d rather use pen and paper.
het liefst = superlative → “most gladly / prefer the most”
- Ik gebruik het liefst pen en papier. – I like using pen and paper the most.

In the sentence, liever expresses a preference (A over B), which matches the contrast with what the brother does.

Why is the word order Ik gebruik liever pen en papier and not Ik liever gebruik pen en papier?

Dutch main clauses normally follow:

subject – finite verb – (mid-field stuff like adverbs) – objects/other info

So:

Ik (subject)
gebruik (conjugated verb)
liever (adverb)
pen en papier (object)

Adverbs like liever typically come after the conjugated verb, not before it, in a main clause.

✅ Ik gebruik liever pen en papier.
❌ Ik liever gebruik pen en papier. (ungrammatical in standard Dutch)
✅ Ik gebruik pen en papier liever. (also possible, but slightly different emphasis; more stress on pen en papier vs other tools)

What’s the difference between ik gebruik liever and ik heb liever?

Both can express preference, but they’re used in different structures.

Ik gebruik liever pen en papier.
- Literally: “I use more-gladly pen and paper.”
- Means: “I prefer to use pen and paper (instead of some other method).”
- The verb here is gebruiken (“to use”).
Ik heb liever pen en papier.
- Literally: “I have rather pen and paper.”
- More like: “I would rather have pen and paper.”
- Focus is on having/receiving/choosing pen and paper, not on using.

In this context (talking about how you work), ik gebruik liever is the most natural, because the activity “using” is central.

Why does typt end in -t? How do you conjugate typen?

The infinitive is typen (“to type”). For regular -en verbs in the present tense:

ik: stem
jij / je, hij, zij, het: stem + t
wij, jullie, zij (plural): infinitive

The stem of typen is typ (remove -en):

ik typ – I type
jij / hij / zij / het typt – you / he / she / it types
wij / jullie / zij typen – we / you (pl) / they type

So:

mijn broer typt is correct, because mijn broer is third person singular → stem + t.

Why is it typt alles and not something like typt het allemaal?

Both are possible but slightly different:

typt alles
- Literally: “types everything”
- Very direct and neutral: he types all (of it).
typt het allemaal
- Literally: “types it all”
- A bit more colloquial, often with a sense of “every single thing”, sometimes with a hint of exaggeration.

In this sentence, typt alles is a straightforward and natural way to say “he types everything” without extra nuance.

Why is it in dezelfde notitie-app and not op dezelfde notitie-app?

In Dutch, the preposition with apps and programs is usually in, not op:

Ik schrijf het in een notitie-app. – I write it in a note-taking app.
Ik bewerk het in Word. – I edit it in Word.
Ik zet het in Excel. – I put it in Excel.

You can use op with platforms/services perceived more like locations or surfaces:

op Facebook, op Instagram, op een website

But for an app where you “store” or “edit” content, in is the normal choice, so in dezelfde notitie-app is correct.

What does dezelfde mean, and why is it dezelfde notitie-app and not hetzelfde notitie-app?

Dezelfde comes from de (common-gender article) + zelfde (“same”).

dezelfde = “the same” for de-words
hetzelfde = “the same” for het-words

Notitie-app is a de-word (like de app), so you must use dezelfde:

dezelfde notitie-app – the same note-taking app
If it were a het-word, you’d say hetzelfde X.

Examples:

de auto → dezelfde auto – the same car
het boek → hetzelfde boek – the same book

Why is notitie-app written with a hyphen? Could it be notitieapp?

Dutch likes compound nouns, and both notitie-app and notitieapp are in principle possible as compounds of notitie + app.

In practice:

Hyphenated form notitie-app is common and visually clearer: you immediately see it’s a “note-taking app”.
Writing it as a single word (notitieapp) is also allowed in Dutch spelling rules, but looks less familiar / natural to many readers.

You’ll often see tech-related compounds with a hyphen for readability: chat-app, bank-app, etc.

Why is it mijn broer and not de broer or broer van mij?

All three exist, but they’re used differently:

mijn broer – my brother
- Normal, neutral way to refer to your brother.
de broer – the brother
- Needs context; often used when there are multiple roles:
  - De broer is ouder dan de zus. – The brother is older than the sister.
broer van mij – a brother of mine
- Implies one of several brothers, or used for emphasis or style:
  - Een broer van mij woont in België. – A brother of mine lives in Belgium.

In this sentence, you’re just talking about your single, specific brother → mijn broer is the natural choice.

Where would extra information go in mijn broer typt alles in dezelfde notitie-app? For example, if I add a time or place?

Basic structure:

subject – finite verb – (objects) – place/time/etc.

mijn broer (subject)
typt (verb)
alles (object)
in dezelfde notitie-app (prepositional phrase about where)

If you add time or place, Dutch tends to prefer:

Time – Manner – Place (TMP) after the object, but there’s some flexibility.

Examples:

Mijn broer typt alles in dezelfde notitie-app elke avond.
Mijn broer typt alles elke avond in dezelfde notitie-app.

Both are acceptable; elke avond can go before or after in dezelfde notitie-app, depending on what you want to emphasize.

Does liever always require an explicit comparison (A vs B), or can it stand alone like here?

Liever is comparative in meaning (“more gladly”), but the “than X” part can be:

Explicit:
- Ik gebruik liever pen en papier dan mijn laptop. – I prefer pen and paper to my laptop.
Implicit / understood from context:
- Ik gebruik liever pen en papier.
  In the full sentence with maar mijn broer typt…, it’s clear the comparison is with typing in an app.

So liever does imply a comparison, but you don’t always have to state the other option; context can supply it.