Wij oefenen geduldig zodat wij beter kunnen spreken.

We practice patiently so that we can speak better.

Breakdown of Wij oefenen geduldig zodat wij beter kunnen spreken.

• wij: we
• spreken: to speak
• oefenen: to practice
• beter: better
• zodat: so that
• kunnen: can
• geduldig: patient

Questions & Answers about Wij oefenen geduldig zodat wij beter kunnen spreken.

Why is wij used instead of we, and can I use we here?

Dutch has two forms for we: wij (stressed) and we (unstressed).

• wij is used when you want to put emphasis on who is doing the action, often in contrast:
  
  • Wij oefenen geduldig (not other people, but us).
• we is the normal, neutral form in most sentences.

In everyday Dutch, the more natural version would usually be:

• We oefenen geduldig zodat we beter kunnen spreken.

Using wij twice is grammatically correct, but it sounds a bit more formal or emphatic.

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Do I have to repeat wij after zodat? Could I say: Wij oefenen geduldig zodat beter kunnen spreken?

Yes, you must repeat the subject. Dutch normally does not allow you to drop the subject:

• Correct: Wij oefenen geduldig zodat wij beter kunnen spreken.
• Also correct and more natural: We oefenen geduldig zodat we beter kunnen spreken.
• Incorrect: Wij oefenen geduldig zodat beter kunnen spreken. (subject is missing)

If you want to avoid repeating wij/we, you have to change the structure:

• Wij oefenen geduldig om beter te kunnen spreken.
  (We practise patiently in order to speak better.)

Here, om … te introduces a purpose clause without its own finite verb, so it doesn’t need a separate subject.

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Why does the verb move to the end after zodat?

Zodat is a subordinating conjunction (like because, if, when, that in Dutch: omdat, als, wanneer, dat).

In a main clause, the conjugated verb is in second position:

• Wij oefenen geduldig.
  (oefenen is 2nd element.)

In a subordinate clause introduced by zodat, the conjugated verb goes to the end of that clause:

• … zodat wij beter kunnen spreken.

So the pattern is:

• Main clause: [Subject] – [conjugated verb] – …
• Subordinate clause: [zodat] – [subject] – … – [all verbs at the end]

That is why kunnen and spreken both appear at the end of the zodat-clause.

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Why is it kunnen spreken and not spreken kunnen?

In Dutch, when you have a modal verb like kunnen (can, to be able to) plus another verb in a subordinate clause, the normal modern order is:

• modal + infinitive

So we say:

• … zodat wij beter kunnen spreken.
• … omdat ik het niet kan doen.
• … omdat zij goed kunnen zwemmen.

You can sometimes see infinitive + modal (for example: … omdat ik het niet doen kan), but that is more formal, old-fashioned, or stylistically marked. For everyday Dutch, kunnen spreken is the standard choice.

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What exactly is oefenen here? Does it need an object, like Wij oefenen Nederlands?

Oefenen can be used in two main ways:

1. Intransitively (without a direct object), meaning simply to practise:

   • Wij oefenen geduldig.
     (We practise patiently.)
   • Ik moet meer oefenen.
     (I need to practise more.)

2. Transitively (with an object), meaning to practise something:

   • Wij oefenen Nederlands.
     (We practise Dutch.)
   • Ik oefen mijn uitspraak.
     (I practise my pronunciation.)

In your sentence, oefenen is used intransitively: we practise (in general), with extra information geduldig and zodat wij beter kunnen spreken.

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Where can I put geduldig? Is Wij oefenen geduldig the only correct word order?

Geduldig is an adverb here (like patiently), and adverbs are fairly flexible in Dutch word order. Common, natural options include:

• Wij oefenen geduldig zodat wij beter kunnen spreken.
• Wij oefenen elke dag geduldig zodat wij beter kunnen spreken.
• Wij oefenen geduldig elke dag zodat wij beter kunnen spreken.

You generally cannot put it between the subject and the finite verb in neutral sentences:

• ✗ Wij geduldig oefenen zodat … (only possible in very marked, poetic, or spoken-emphasis contexts)

So the safe pattern is:

• [Subject] – [finite verb] – (time) – (manner like geduldig) – (place) – …

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Why is it zodat and not om beter te (kunnen) spreken? What’s the difference?

Both are possible, but they have slightly different focuses.

1. zodat + finite clause
   Emphasises the result or intended outcome:

   • Wij oefenen geduldig zodat wij beter kunnen spreken.
     (We practise patiently so that we can speak better.)

2. om … te + infinitive
   Emphasises the purpose / intention:

   • Wij oefenen geduldig om beter te kunnen spreken.
     (We practise patiently in order to be able to speak better.)

In many contexts, especially like this one, they are almost interchangeable. zodat feels a bit more like “so that (as a result)”, while om … te feels more like “in order to”.

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Why is it beter and not meer goed? And when do I use betere?

Beter is the comparative form of goed:

• goed → beter → best

You cannot say meer goed in standard Dutch; you must say beter:

• Wij willen beter spreken.
  (We want to speak better.)

Here beter works like an adverb (answering “How do we speak?”).

You use betere when beter comes before a noun, as an attributive adjective:

• een betere uitspraak (a better pronunciation)
• betere gesprekken (better conversations)

So:

• Wij willen beter spreken.
• Wij willen een betere uitspraak.

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Could I leave out kunnen and just say zodat wij beter spreken?

You can say:

• Wij oefenen geduldig zodat wij beter spreken.

This is grammatically correct, but the nuance changes:

• zodat wij beter spreken
  = so that we speak better (the action itself is better)
• zodat wij beter kunnen spreken
  = so that we are able to speak better / have better speaking skills

In many situations they will overlap in meaning, but beter kunnen spreken clearly highlights ability / skill, which fits very well with oefenen (to practise).

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How do you pronounce the sentence, especially oefenen, geduldig, and wij?

Approximate pronunciation (IPA):

• Wij: /ʋɛi/ — like English way but starting with a Dutch w (/ʋ/, between English v and w).
• oefenen: /ˈuːfə(n)ən/
  
  • oe = /uː/, like oo in food
  • fe = /fə/
  • final -nen often reduced in fast speech.
• geduldig: /ɣəˈdʏl.dəx/
  
  • g and final g = guttural sound /ɣ/ or /x/, made in the throat
  • e (first) = /ə/, like the a in about
  • u = /ʏ/, similar to German ü, between u and i

Full sentence (broadly):

• Wij oefenen geduldig zodat wij beter kunnen spreken.
  /ʋɛi ˈuːfə.nə ɣəˈdʏl.dəx zoːˈdɑt ʋɛi ˈbeːtər ˈkʏnən ˈspreːkə(n)/

Listening to native audio is very helpful for getting the g, oe, and ij sounds right.