Breakdown of De aanhanger zit vol verhuisdozen.
vol zitten
to be full
de verhuisdoos
the moving box
de aanhanger
the trailer
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Dutch grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about De aanhanger zit vol verhuisdozen.
Why is zit used here instead of is?
In Dutch, zitten is often used in expressions like vol zitten to mean to be full of.
So:
- De aanhanger is vol verhuisdozen sounds unnatural or incomplete.
- De aanhanger zit vol verhuisdozen is the normal idiomatic way to say that the trailer is packed/full of moving boxes.
Even though zitten literally means to sit, Dutch uses it much more broadly than English does. It can describe the position or state of things, even non-human things.
What exactly does vol mean in this sentence?
Vol means full.
In the pattern vol zitten + noun, it means to be full of something.
So:
- De aanhanger zit vol verhuisdozen = The trailer is full of moving boxes
This is a very common Dutch structure:
- De kast zit vol boeken = The cupboard is full of books
- De tas zit vol kleren = The bag is full of clothes
Why is there no word for of before verhuisdozen?