Kunnen we dit onderwerp morgen uitgebreider bespreken in de vergaderzaal?

Can we discuss this topic in more detail tomorrow in the meeting room?

Breakdown of Kunnen we dit onderwerp morgen uitgebreider bespreken in de vergaderzaal?

• wij: we
• morgen: tomorrow
• in: in
• kunnen: can
• dit: this
• bespreken: to discuss
• de vergaderzaal: the meeting room
• het onderwerp: the topic
• uitgebreider: in more detail

Questions & Answers about Kunnen we dit onderwerp morgen uitgebreider bespreken in de vergaderzaal?

Why does the sentence start with Kunnen instead of We, and is that always required in Dutch questions?

In yes–no questions (questions that can be answered with ja or nee), Dutch normally puts the finite verb first, then the subject:

• Statement: We kunnen dit onderwerp morgen bespreken.
  (We can discuss this topic tomorrow.)
• Question: Kunnen we dit onderwerp morgen bespreken?
  (Can we discuss this topic tomorrow?)

So:

1. Take the normal word order: We kunnen …
2. Swap subject and verb for a question: Kunnen we …?

This verb–subject inversion is standard for yes–no questions in main clauses. It is not used in subordinate clauses, where the verb goes to the end:

• Ik vraag of we dit onderwerp morgen kunnen bespreken.
  (I ask whether we can discuss this topic tomorrow.)

Why is kunnen used here and not mogen or zullen?

These three verbs all translate to something like can/may/will in English, but their meanings differ:

• kunnen = can / to be able to
  Used for ability and often for practical possibility / suggestion:

  • Kunnen we dit onderwerp morgen bespreken?
    (Is it possible / Can we (practically) discuss this topic tomorrow?)

• mogen = may / to be allowed to
  Focuses on permission:

  • Mogen we dit onderwerp morgen bespreken?
    (Are we allowed to discuss this topic tomorrow?)

• zullen = shall / will / would
  Often used to propose or offer:

  • Zullen we dit onderwerp morgen bespreken?
    (Shall we discuss this topic tomorrow?)

In your sentence, kunnen suggests a mix of practical possibility and a polite suggestion:
Is it (practically) possible for us to discuss this more tomorrow?

Why is it dit onderwerp and not deze onderwerp or dat onderwerp?

Dutch demonstratives depend on two things:

1. Gender/type of noun:

   • de-words: deze (this), die (that)
   • het-words: dit (this), dat (that)

2. Distance (roughly like English this vs that):

   • dit / deze = near, or just mentioned
   • dat / die = further away, or less immediate

Onderwerp is a het-word: het onderwerp.
So you must use dit or dat, not deze or die.

• dit onderwerp = this topic (here / just mentioned)
• dat onderwerp = that topic (over there / that other one)

In your sentence, dit onderwerp points to a specific topic that is already being discussed or is very salient in the conversation.

What is the nuance of onderwerp? Is it more like “topic”, “subject”, or “issue”, and when would you use something else?

Onderwerp is usually translated as topic or subject and is quite neutral:

• A meeting topic: het onderwerp van de vergadering
• A conversation topic: We wisselden van onderwerp.
• A school subject is not onderwerp, but vak (school subject).

Other related words:

• thema = theme, often broader or more conceptual
  
  • het thema van de conferentie (the theme of the conference)
• kwestie / probleem = issue / problem
  
  • een gevoelige kwestie (a sensitive issue)

In a work or meeting context, onderwerp is usually the most natural choice for topic/subject of discussion.

What exactly does uitgebreider mean, and how is it formed?

Uitgebreider is the comparative form of the adjective/adverb uitgebreid.

• uitgebreid = extensive, in detail, thorough
• uitgebreider = more extensive, in more detail, more thoroughly

Comparative is often formed by adding -er to adjectives:

• lang → langer (long → longer)
• snel → sneller (quick → quicker)
• uitgebreid → uitgebreider (in detail → in more detail)

So uitgebreider bespreken means to discuss (something) in more detail / more extensively.

You could also say:

• heel uitgebreid bespreken = discuss very extensively
• iets uitgebreider bespreken = discuss a bit more extensively

Why does uitgebreider come before bespreken, and can its position change?

In the verb phrase uitgebreider bespreken, uitgebreider is an adverbial modifying the verb bespreken (how the discussing is done).

The basic order in this main-clause question is:

• Kunnen (finite verb)
• we (subject)
• dit onderwerp (object)
• morgen (time)
• uitgebreider (manner)
• bespreken (infinitive)
• in de vergaderzaal (place)

So we get:
Kunnen we dit onderwerp morgen uitgebreider bespreken in de vergaderzaal?

A commonly taught pattern in Dutch is: time – manner – place.
Here:

• Time: morgen
• Manner: uitgebreider
• Place: in de vergaderzaal

Other positions are possible, especially for emphasis, but this one is both natural and neutral.

For example, you might also hear:

• Kunnen we dit onderwerp morgen in de vergaderzaal uitgebreider bespreken?
  (Focus shifts slightly to the meeting room as the location for the more detailed discussion.)

Is uitgebreid an adjective, an adverb, or both? Why is it used without any ending here?

Uitgebreid can be both an adjective and an adverb, like many Dutch adjectives.

1. As an adjective (describing a noun):

   • een uitgebreid verslag (an extensive report)
   • een uitgebreid diner (an extensive meal)

2. As an adverb (describing a verb):

   • We hebben het uitgebreid besproken.
     (We discussed it extensively / in detail.)
   • Kunnen we dit onderwerp morgen uitgebreider bespreken?
     (Can we discuss this topic more extensively tomorrow?)

When it modifies a verb (as here), you use the base form (no extra -e) and then its comparative uitgebreider. The -e ending appears in many adjective uses before a noun, not when it functions as an adverb.

What is the difference between bespreken and expressions like praten over or spreken over?

All of these involve talking, but there are nuances:

• bespreken (transitive verb)

  • Takes a direct object: iets bespreken (to discuss something).
  • More formal and focused, often used in meetings, reports, planning.
  • We bespreken het nieuwe project. (We are discussing the new project.)

• praten over / spreken over

  • Use a preposition: over (about).
  • Often more informal/flexible:
    
    • We praten over het nieuwe project.
    • We spreken over het nieuwe project.

In your sentence, dit onderwerp bespreken is very natural in a work/meeting context and a bit more formal and structured than over dit onderwerp praten.

Important:
You do not say bespreken over. It is either:

• dit onderwerp bespreken
• over dit onderwerp praten / spreken

Is bespreken a separable verb? Do we ever split it up like bespreken… af or something similar?

Bespreken is not a separable verb.

• Infinitive: bespreken
• Past: besprak, bespraken
• Past participle: besproken

You keep it together in all normal constructions:

• We bespreken dit onderwerp.
• We hebben dit onderwerp besproken.
• Kunnen we dit onderwerp morgen bespreken?

There is no particle like op, af, na, etc. attached to it, so you do not split it as you would separable verbs like afspreken (to agree / arrange):

• We spreken morgen af. (We’ll arrange/meet tomorrow.)

What does vergaderzaal literally mean, and is there a difference between vergaderzaal, vergaderkamer, and vergadering?

Vergaderzaal is a compound:

• vergader- from vergaderen = to meet (formally), to hold a meeting
• zaal = hall, (large) room

So vergaderzaal ≈ meeting room / conference room, often a bit larger or more formal.

Related words:

• vergaderkamer

  • kamer = room (often smaller than a zaal)
  • Also meeting room, often feels a bit smaller or more informal.

• vergadering

  • The meeting itself, not the room.
  • We hebben morgen een vergadering. (We have a meeting tomorrow.)

Grammatically:

• de vergaderzaal (de-word)
• de vergaderkamer (de-word)
• de vergadering (de-word)

In your sentence, in de vergaderzaal clearly refers to the location: in the meeting room.

Why is it in de vergaderzaal and not something like op de vergaderzaal or just in vergaderzaal?

Two points:

1. Preposition:
   For most enclosed spaces / rooms, Dutch uses in:

   • in de vergaderzaal
   • in de keuken
   • in de klas

   Op is used with some locations like op kantoor, op school, op het werk, but vergaderzaal is treated as a normal room, so in is correct.

2. Article:
   You need the definite article de:

   • de vergaderzaal (it’s a de-word)
   • You cannot normally say in vergaderzaal without an article.

So: in de vergaderzaal is the correct and natural form.

Why is the verb kunnen in the plural form here, and what would the full conjugation look like?

The subject we is plural, so the verb kunnen must also be in the plural:

• ik kan (I can)
• jij / je kan or kunt (you can)
• hij / zij / het kan (he / she / it can)
• wij / we kunnen (we can)
• jullie kunnen (you [plural] can)
• zij / ze kunnen (they can)

Your sentence uses:

• we (we)
• kunnen (1st person plural form)

So Kunnen we …? = Can we …?

How polite is this sentence in Dutch? Would it sound more polite with zouden or alstublieft?

Kunnen we dit onderwerp morgen uitgebreider bespreken in de vergaderzaal? is:

• Polite enough in many work/colleague contexts
• Sounds like a friendly, practical suggestion or request

For extra politeness or softness, Dutch often uses zouden (would) and/or alstublieft / alsjeblieft:

• Zouden we dit onderwerp morgen uitgebreider kunnen bespreken in de vergaderzaal?
  (Would we be able to discuss this topic more extensively tomorrow in the meeting room?)
  → more tentative, more polite.

• Kunnen we dit onderwerp morgen uitgebreider bespreken in de vergaderzaal, alstublieft?
  (alstublieft = formal please)

So, your original sentence is neutral–polite; adding zouden or alstublieft makes it more formally polite or deferential, depending on the context.