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Soms merk ik dat mijn studiegenoot andere woorden opschrijft dan ik.

Soms merk ik dat mijn studiegenoot andere woorden opschrijft dan ik.
Sometimes I notice that my fellow student writes down different words than I do.
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Questions & Answers about Soms merk ik dat mijn studiegenoot andere woorden opschrijft dan ik.

Why does the verb merk come right after Soms? Why not Soms ik merk?

Dutch main clauses follow the V2 rule: the finite verb (the conjugated verb, here merk) must be in second position in the sentence.

  • Soms = first position (an adverbial at the start)
  • merk = second position (the verb)
  • ik and the rest follow after that: Soms merk ik dat …

You could also say:

  • Ik merk soms dat mijn studiegenoot andere woorden opschrijft dan ik.

Here ik is first, merk is still in second place. The position of soms can change, but the finite verb stays in second position in main clauses.

Why is the verb at the end in … dat mijn studiegenoot andere woorden opschrijft …?

The word dat introduces a subordinate clause (a dependent clause). In Dutch subordinate clauses, the finite verb normally goes to the end.

  • Main clause: Mijn studiegenoot schrijft andere woorden op.
    • verb in second position (schrijft)
  • Subordinate clause: … dat mijn studiegenoot andere woorden opschrijft.
    • dat triggers subordinate word order
    • verb (opschrijft) goes to the end

So the pattern is:
[dat] + subject + (objects/adverbs) + verb (at the end).

Why is it opschrijft at the end and not schrijft op?

Opschrijven is a separable verb: op + schrijven.

  • In a main clause with normal (V2) word order, the prefix and verb often split:
    • Hij schrijft de woorden op.
  • In a subordinate clause, they stay together at the end:
    • … dat hij de woorden opschrijft.

So here, because we are inside a dat-clause, you get opschrijft together at the end.

Why is it dan ik and not dan mij or als ik?

A few points:

  1. Dan vs als

    • Use dan after a comparison of inequality (more/less/different than):
      • andere woorden dan ik = different words than I (do)
    • Use als after gelijk / even / net zo (equality):
      • even veel woorden als ik = as many words as I (do)

    So here, it is about different words → dan is correct.

  2. Ik vs mij
    After dan in a comparison, Dutch normally uses the subject form (nominative), just like formal English:

    • dan ik (like than I rather than than me)

    Grammatically, dan mij is considered wrong in standard Dutch, even though you may hear it in casual speech.
    Correct standard form here: dan ik.

What is left out after dan ik? Why doesn’t the sentence finish with a verb again?

There is an ellipsis (omitted repetition) at the end. The full idea is:

  • Soms merk ik dat mijn studiegenoot andere woorden opschrijft dan ik (opschrijf).

The verb opschrijf would just repeat the same verb from earlier in the sentence, so native speakers usually leave it out:

  • … dan ik (opschrijf). → … dan ik.

English does something similar:

  • … than I (do). → the do is often omitted.
What exactly does studiegenoot mean, and is it de or het?

Studiegenoot is a compound:

  • studie = study
  • genoot = companion / mate

So studiegenoot means fellow student, someone who studies the same subject/program as you.

Grammar details:

  • It is a de-word: de studiegenoot
  • Plural: de studiegenoten
  • For a female person you can specify: studiegenote (less common in modern gender‑neutral usage, many people just say studiegenoot for everyone).

Rough comparisons:

  • studiegenoot ≈ fellow student in your course/degree
  • klasgenoot = classmate (literally: class-mate)
  • medestudent = fellow student (more general, not necessarily the same program).
Why is it andere woorden and not verschillende woorden? What’s the nuance?

Both andere and verschillende can relate to “different”, but they aren’t interchangeable in all contexts.

  • andere woorden

    • Literally: other words.
    • Focus: they are not the same as mine.
    • Very natural in this sentence: he writes words that are different from mine.

  • verschillende woorden

    • Literally: various / several / differing words.
    • Often means multiple distinct words, a variety.
    • In this exact sentence it would sound a bit odd or at least differently focused, as if you emphasize the variety of words, not the contrast with your words.

So andere woorden … dan ik is the normal and most idiomatic choice here.

Could you also say Soms merk ik dat mijn studiegenoot andere woorden schrijft dan ik without op?

Yes, but the meaning changes slightly:

  • woorden opschrijven = to write down words (e.g. in a notebook, in your notes)
  • woorden schrijven = to write words (could be writing a text, sentences, etc.)

In the context of studying, opschrijven usually suggests:

  • Writing them down as notes, on paper, in an exercise, etc.

So the original sentence suggests:
You both hear/see the same thing, but when you each write it down, your notes are different.

Without op, it’s more general and slightly less specific about the “note-taking” idea. Both are grammatically fine.

Can I move soms to another place in the sentence, like in English?

Yes, you have several natural options, and they are all correct but slightly different in emphasis:

  1. Soms merk ik dat mijn studiegenoot andere woorden opschrijft dan ik.

    • Emphasis a bit more on sometimes at the start.

  2. Ik merk soms dat mijn studiegenoot andere woorden opschrijft dan ik.

    • More neutral; ik at the start, soms in the middle.

  3. Ik merk dat mijn studiegenoot soms andere woorden opschrijft dan ik.

    • Now soms modifies opschrijft more directly: it’s sometimes that he writes down different words (rather than always).

All are correct. The main rule stays: in main clauses the conjugated verb (merk) stays in second position.

Why is it mijn studiegenoot andere woorden opschrijft and not dat schrijft mijn studiegenoot andere woorden op?

Because after dat, you are in a subordinate clause, and the normal word order rules change:

  • Main clause:

    • Mijn studiegenoot schrijft andere woorden op.
    • Verb in second position (schrijft), op can come at the end.

  • Subordinate clause (with dat):

    • … dat mijn studiegenoot andere woorden opschrijft.
    • Verb goes to the end (opschrijft), subject stays near the start.

A structure like dat schrijft mijn studiegenoot andere woorden op incorrectly follows main-clause word order after dat, which is not allowed in standard Dutch.