De roltrap is kapot, dus we moeten lopen.

to be

Breakdown of De roltrap is kapot, dus we moeten lopen.

• wij: we
• lopen: to walk
• moeten: to have to

Questions & Answers about De roltrap is kapot, dus we moeten lopen.

Why is it de roltrap and not het roltrap?

Because roltrap is a de-word in Dutch. Nouns in Dutch take either de or het, and this usually has to be learned word by word.

• de roltrap = the escalator

There is no simple rule that lets you reliably guess all noun genders, so learners usually memorize the article together with the noun:

• de roltrap
• de trap = the stairs / staircase
• het station = the station

What does roltrap literally mean?

Literally, roltrap is made up of:

• rollen / rol- = to roll / rolling
• trap = stairs

So roltrap is basically rolling stairs, which is a very transparent Dutch word for escalator.

Why is it kapot and not kapotte?