Ik moet eerst nadenken over jouw vraag.

In a normal Dutch main clause, the finite verb usually comes in second position. This is often called the V2 rule.

So in:

Ik moet eerst nadenken over jouw vraag.

• Ik = subject
• moet = finite verb
• eerst = adverb
• nadenken = infinitive

That is why moet comes right after Ik.

A very literal structure is:

I must first think over your question.

Not:

• Ik eerst moet nadenken ❌

But in a subordinate clause, the verb order changes:

• ... omdat ik eerst over jouw vraag moet nadenken.

There, moet moves toward the end.

Moet is the present tense of moeten, which usually means must, have to, or need to.

In this sentence:

Ik moet eerst nadenken over jouw vraag.

it means something like:

• I must first think about your question
• I need to think about your question first
• I have to think about your question first

The exact English translation depends on tone and context. Dutch moeten is very common and not always as strong as English must can sound.

This is because Dutch often uses a modal verb plus an infinitive.

Here:

• moet = modal verb
• nadenken = infinitive

So the pattern is:

subject + modal verb + ... + infinitive

Examples:

• Ik moet werken. = I have to work.
• Zij kan komen. = She can come.
• Wij willen leren. = We want to learn.

In your sentence:

• Ik moet ... nadenken = I need to think

Nadenken means to think, but more specifically to think something over, to reflect, or to consider.

It is not always the same as the very general English verb to think.

For example:

• Ik denk. = I think.
• Ik denk na. = I am thinking it over / I am reflecting.

So nadenken often suggests a bit more careful thought.

In Dutch, nadenken is commonly used with the preposition over when you say what you are thinking about.

So:

• nadenken over iets = to think about something

That is why the sentence says:

• nadenken over jouw vraag

Examples:

• Ik denk na over het probleem. = I’m thinking about the problem.
• Zij denkt na over haar toekomst. = She is thinking about her future.

This is just something you need to learn together as a combination:

• nadenken over

Eerst means first. It tells you the order of actions.

In: Ik moet eerst nadenken over jouw vraag.

it means:

• first I think about your question
• then perhaps I answer it

The position of eerst is natural here because it modifies the action:

• moet eerst nadenken = must first think

Dutch adverbs like eerst often come after the finite verb and before the infinitive or other parts of the sentence.

You may also hear slightly different word orders in other contexts, but this one is very standard and natural.

Both jouw vraag and je vraag can mean your question.

The difference is mainly emphasis:

• je vraag = neutral, very common
• jouw vraag = more emphatic, more stressed, often used to highlight your

So:

• Ik moet eerst nadenken over je vraag. = neutral
• Ik moet eerst nadenken over jouw vraag. = I need to think about your question

This does not always create a big difference in English, but in Dutch it can add a little emphasis or contrast.

Yes, absolutely.

Both are correct:

• Ik moet eerst nadenken over je vraag.
• Ik moet eerst nadenken over jouw vraag.

Usually:

• je vraag sounds more everyday and neutral
• jouw vraag sounds a bit more explicit or contrastive

For example, jouw might be used if you are contrasting it with someone else’s question:

• Over jouw vraag moet ik eerst nadenken, maar op zijn vraag weet ik het antwoord al.

Usually yes. Vraag normally means question.

So:

• jouw vraag = your question

But like English question, it can also sometimes mean a matter or issue being asked about. In most learner situations, translating it as question is perfectly fine.

Yes. Nadenken is a separable verb.

Its parts are:

• na
• denken

In some forms, they stay together:

• Ik wil nadenken.
• Ik moet nadenken.

But in a simple present main clause, they separate:

• Ik denk na.

And if you include the object of thought:

• Ik denk over jouw vraag na.

So you may see both:

• Ik moet nadenken over jouw vraag.
• Ik denk na over jouw vraag.
• Ik denk over jouw vraag na.

These are all related forms of the same verb.

Actually, that sentence is also correct.

Both of these are natural:

• Ik moet eerst nadenken over jouw vraag.
• Ik moet eerst over jouw vraag nadenken.

Dutch often allows more than one word order with infinitive constructions and prepositional phrases.

The version with nadenken over jouw vraag keeps the verb and its preposition together, which many learners find easier to understand. The version with over jouw vraag before nadenken is also very common.

So this is mostly a matter of sentence rhythm and style, not a difference in meaning.

The given sentence is already natural. But in everyday speech, many Dutch speakers would probably say:

• Ik moet eerst over je vraag nadenken.
• Ik moet eerst even over je vraag nadenken.

Adding even can make it sound a bit softer or more conversational:

• Ik moet eerst even over je vraag nadenken. = I just need to think about your question for a moment first.

Also, je is often more common than jouw unless you want emphasis.