Breakdown of Wij reserveren twee stoelen in de bioscoopzaal voor vanavond.
Questions & Answers about Wij reserveren twee stoelen in de bioscoopzaal voor vanavond.
Dutch has two forms for we as a subject:
- wij – stressed form, used for emphasis or in slightly more formal/written style.
- we – unstressed form, more common in everyday spoken Dutch.
Both mean we. In neutral modern speech, you’d more often hear:
- We reserveren twee stoelen in de bioscoopzaal voor vanavond.
Using wij here slightly emphasizes we (as opposed to someone else), or just sounds a bit more formal/written.
Dutch often uses the simple present for future events, especially when:
- it’s a planned/scheduled action, or
- the time is clear from context, e.g. vanavond.
So:
- Wij reserveren twee stoelen … voor vanavond.
= We are reserving / we’re booking two seats … for tonight.
You can also use zullen to make the future more explicit:
- Wij zullen twee stoelen in de bioscoopzaal voor vanavond reserveren.
= We will reserve two seats…
But in everyday language, the original simple present is completely natural and common.
In Dutch, an indefinite plural noun normally has no article, just like in English:
- twee stoelen = two chairs / two seats
- kinderen = children
- mooie huizen = beautiful houses
Use an article only if you want to make it definite:
- de twee stoelen = the two chairs (specific chairs that both speaker and listener know)
In this sentence, you’re not talking about specific known chairs, just some two seats, so twee stoelen (no article) is correct.
Yes, you could say in de bioscoop; it’s very common.
- de bioscoop = the cinema (the building/business)
- de bioscoopzaal = the cinema auditorium / screening room (the specific room with the screen and seats)
So:
- Wij reserveren twee stoelen in de bioscoop voor vanavond.
is also correct and sounds a bit more natural in everyday speech.
Using bioscoopzaal makes it clearer that these are seats inside the auditorium, not just a general booking at the cinema.
The preposition in is used because the seats are located inside the auditorium:
- in de bioscoopzaal = in the cinema hall / inside the screening room
Other prepositions would mean something different:
- naar de bioscoop = to the cinema (movement towards)
- bij de bioscoop = at / near the cinema (location near it, not inside the room)
- voor de bioscoop = in front of the cinema
So in is the natural choice for seats that are in a room.
vanavond alone is a time adverb: this evening / tonight.
voor vanavond literally means for this evening, i.e. intended to be used tonight.
Subtle difference:
Wij reserveren twee stoelen in de bioscoopzaal vanavond.
→ The reservation action happens tonight. It might be for some other day.Wij reserveren twee stoelen in de bioscoopzaal voor vanavond.
→ The reservation is for tonight (for a show this evening). The action of reserving can be now or earlier.
In your sentence, voor vanavond is the natural choice, because you’re talking about tickets/seats for tonight’s show.
Yes, Dutch allows some flexibility in the order of adverbial phrases. All of these are grammatical:
- Wij reserveren twee stoelen in de bioscoopzaal voor vanavond.
- Wij reserveren twee stoelen voor vanavond in de bioscoopzaal.
- Voor vanavond reserveren wij twee stoelen in de bioscoopzaal.
Differences:
- (1) is very natural and neutral.
- (2) is also fine; some speakers might find it a tiny bit less smooth.
- (3) puts emphasis on for tonight (contrast: not for tomorrow, etc.).
The important fixed rule: the finite verb (reserveren) stays in second position in a main clause.
Dutch often writes time-related expressions as single words when they’re used as fixed adverbs:
- vandaag = today
- vanavond = tonight / this evening
- vanmorgen = this morning
- vanmiddag = this afternoon
So vanavond is a single word meaning this evening / tonight.
You could also say:
- deze avond = this evening (slightly more formal or specific)
But vanavond is by far the most common in everyday speech.
Yes, both are possible, but there is a nuance:
- stoelen = actual physical chairs/seats
- plaatsen = seats as bookable spots / tickets (more abstract)
So:
- Wij reserveren twee plaatsen in de bioscoopzaal voor vanavond.
= We reserve two seats (places) in the cinema hall for tonight.
In contexts like tickets, plaatsen is very common. Stoelen emphasizes the physical seats, but in practice people use both, and both are understood as seats you’re reserving.
reserveren is a regular -eren verb. Present tense:
- ik reserveer – I reserve / am reserving
- jij / je reserveert – you reserve
- hij / zij / het reserveert – he / she / it reserves
- wij / we reserveren – we reserve
- jullie reserveren – you (plural) reserve
- zij / ze reserveren – they reserve
In the sentence:
- Wij reserveren …
→ wij (we) + reserveren (plural form) is correct.
It depends what you want to negate.
No seats at all (negate the object with geen):
- Wij reserveren vanavond geen stoelen in de bioscoopzaal.
= We are not reserving any seats in the cinema hall tonight.
- Wij reserveren vanavond geen stoelen in de bioscoopzaal.
Not two seats specifically (amount negated):
- Wij reserveren niet twee stoelen in de bioscoopzaal voor vanavond, maar vier.
= We’re not reserving two seats for tonight in the cinema hall, but four.
- Wij reserveren niet twee stoelen in de bioscoopzaal voor vanavond, maar vier.
General rule:
- geen replaces an indefinite noun (een stoel, stoelen, geld) when you negate its existence/amount.
- niet is used to negate other things (verbs, adjectives, definite nouns in many contexts, whole sentences).
For a yes–no question, Dutch typically puts the finite verb first:
- Reserveren wij twee stoelen in de bioscoopzaal voor vanavond?
= Are we reserving two seats in the cinema hall for tonight?
Other parts of the sentence keep their normal order after the verb and subject.