Taking the right bus | Learn Dutch in English

Sentence explanations

1. De bus is er.

   The bus is here.

   bus

   bus

   is er

   is here

   More detail

   bus means “bus.” The noun is bus; its plural is bussen. In the fixed sentence, De bus means “the bus”: de is the definite article used with this noun. Example: De bus komt. — “The bus is coming.” is er combines is, the third-person singular present form of zijn (“to be”), with er, which means “there/here” in this locative use. Together, is er means “is here” in the fixed sentence. Example: De trein is er. — “The train is here.” Together, De bus is er. says that the bus is present here: “The bus is here.”

2. Denk je dat dit de juiste bus is?

   Do you think this is the right bus?

   Denk je

   do you think

   dat

   that

   dit

   this

   juiste

   right; correct

   bus

   bus

   is

   is

   More detail

   Denk je means “do you think?” The verb is denken (“to think”). In an ordinary present-tense statement, the form is je denkt (“you think”); in this yes/no question, the finite verb comes before the subject: Denk je ...? This is subject–verb inversion, not a change in the person of the verb. dat introduces the content of the thought: “that.” It starts a subordinate clause. In Dutch, the finite verb commonly moves to the end of this kind of clause, which explains why is appears at the end rather than immediately after dit. dit means “this.” Here it is a demonstrative pronoun referring to the thing being identified as a bus. As a standalone pronoun, it does not make the noun bus into a neuter noun. Compare the noun phrase deze bus (“this bus”): bus is a de-word, but dit can still be used independently in a structure such as Dit is de bus (“This is the bus”). juiste comes from the adjective juist, meaning “right” or “correct.” Before a noun with the definite article de, the attributive adjective normally has the -e form: de juiste bus (“the right/correct bus”). A useful contrast is de verkeerde bus (“the wrong bus”), where verkeerde means “wrong.” bus means “bus.” It is a noun with the plural bussen (“buses”). In de juiste bus, the article de identifies the bus as a specific one, while juiste distinguishes it from other buses. is is the third-person singular present form of zijn (“to be”). The same form appears in Dit is ... (“This is ...”), but inside the dat-clause it is placed at the end: dat dit de juiste bus is (“that this is the right bus”). Putting the parts together, Denk je asks for the listener’s opinion, and dat dit de juiste bus is gives the proposition being considered. The complete utterance means: “Do you think this is the right bus?”

3. Laten we het aan de chauffeur vragen voordat we instappen.

   Let's ask the driver before we get on.

   Laten we

   let’s

   het

   it

   chauffeur

   driver

   vragen

   ask

   voordat

   before

   instappen

   get on

   More detail

   Laten we is the Dutch pattern for making a suggestion: “let’s …”. It combines laten (“let/allow”) with we (“we/us”) and is followed by an infinitive: Laten we beginnen. — “Let’s begin.” Here, vragen supplies that infinitive. het is an object pronoun meaning “it” in this sentence. Its grammatical role is clear, but the supplied sentence does not uniquely identify what het refers to; the natural English translation leaves it unexpressed. Do not assume that het itself means “the bus” here. chauffeur is the noun “driver”. With de, it is de chauffeur; Dutch nouns using de do not thereby show whether the person is male or female. The phrase aan de chauffeur marks the person being asked: iets aan iemand vragen means “to ask someone something” or “to ask someone about something”. vragen is the infinitive “to ask”. Its present-tense forms include ik vraag (“I ask”) and wij vragen (“we ask”); the vowel change from vragen to vraag is part of the verb’s inflection. In this sentence it follows Laten we, so it remains in the infinitive. voordat introduces a time clause meaning “before”. It links the asking to an event that has not yet happened in the sentence’s sequence: Bel me voordat je vertrekt. — “Call me before you leave.” In the clause voordat we instappen, we is the subject of the subordinate clause. instappen means “to get on” or “to board”, especially a vehicle. It is a separable verb: in a main clause, We stappen in means “We get on,” while after voordat, the infinitive-like finite form stays together: voordat we instappen. The verb itself does not specify which vehicle; the bus context supports the intended boarding situation. Together, Laten we het aan de chauffeur vragen means “Let’s ask the driver [it/about it],” with het functioning as the object pronoun. voordat we instappen adds “before we get on.” The complete utterance therefore means: “Let’s ask the driver before we get on.”

4. Pardon, gaat deze bus naar het station?

   Excuse me, does this bus go to the station?

   Pardon

   Excuse me

   gaat

   goes

   deze

   this

   bus

   bus

   naar

   to

   station

   station

   More detail

   Pardon is a polite way to get someone's attention or apologize briefly, equivalent here to “Excuse me.” It is also used in other short interactions when you need someone to repeat something. gaat is the present-tense form of gaan (“to go”) for hij/zij/het and for a singular noun such as deze bus. In a Dutch yes/no question, the finite verb comes before the subject: Gaat deze bus...? means “Does this bus go...?” The same verb can be used in a statement: Deze bus gaat naar het station. — “This bus goes to the station.” deze means “this” for a singular noun in the de-word group. It points to a specific nearby or relevant thing; here it agrees with bus, not with the destination. Compare deze bus (“this bus”) with plural deze bussen (“these buses”). bus is the noun “bus.” Its plural is bussen: Deze bussen gaan naar het station. — “These buses go to the station.” naar marks movement toward a destination and is commonly translated as “to.” For example, We gaan naar Amsterdam. means “We are going to Amsterdam.” station means “station.” In the fixed phrase, the full noun phrase is het station (“the station”); het is the definite article belonging with this noun. A useful related phrase is de halte (“the stop”), as in Het station is de laatste halte. — “The station is the last stop.” Together, gaat comes before the subject deze bus because this is a yes/no question. naar het station gives the destination, so Gaat deze bus naar het station? literally asks whether this bus goes to the station. With Pardon at the beginning, the complete utterance is: “Excuse me, does this bus go to the station?”

5. Het station is de laatste halte.

   The station is the last stop.

   station

   station

   is

   is

   laatste

   last

   halte

   stop

   More detail

   station means “station” here. It is a noun; Dutch nouns are commonly learned together with their article, so learn het station (“the station”). Example: Het station is dichtbij. — “The station is nearby.” is is the third-person singular present form of zijn (“to be”). Here it agrees with the singular subject Het station and links that subject to its identifying description. It is not the usual present form for u; standard Dutch normally uses u bent. Example: De halte is daar. — “The stop is there.” laatste means “last” here, in the sense of final in an order or route. The comparison chain is laat (“late”) → later (“later”) → laatst (“latest/last”). Before a definite singular noun, the superlative commonly takes -e, giving laatste: de laatste halte. Here it describes halte, not the noun’s base form. Example: Dit is de laatste trein. — “This is the last train.” halte means “stop,” especially a stopping place on a bus, tram, or similar route. It is a noun; with the definite article, it appears as de halte. Example: De bus stopt bij de halte. — “The bus stops at the stop.” Together, Het station is the subject, is links it to the description, and de laatste halte identifies it as the final stop. The complete meaning is “The station is the last stop.”

6. Dan is dit de juiste bus.

   Then this is the right bus.

   Dan

   then

   is

   is

   dit

   this

   juiste

   right; correct

   bus

   bus

   More detail

   Dan means “then” here. It connects this identification with what has just been established in the situation. Example: Dan gaan we. — “Then we’ll go.” is is the present-tense singular form of zijn, “to be,” for a third-person subject. It links the subject to the noun phrase that identifies it. Example: Dit is een bus. — “This is a bus.” dit means “this.” It is the singular neuter demonstrative form, used here as the subject to point to something identified by the situation. Dutch contrasts dit with dat for near versus farther reference, and with deze and die, which are used with common-gender singular nouns and with plural nouns. The sentence itself does not specify more precisely what the speaker is pointing to. juiste means “right” or “correct” in the sense of being the appropriate one, not “right” as a direction. Its base form is juist. In de juiste bus, the adjective comes before a definite de noun, so it has the attributive -e form: juiste. Example: Het juiste antwoord. — “The correct answer.” bus means “bus.” It is a singular noun; its plural is bussen. In the complete noun phrase, de marks the bus as a specific, identifiable one: de juiste bus means “the right bus.” Example: De bus komt. — “The bus is coming.” Together, Dan (“then”) introduces the conclusion or identification, is (“is”) links the subject dit (“this”) to de juiste bus (“the right bus”), and the whole utterance means: “Then this is the right bus.”

7. Laten we instappen en verder naar binnen gaan.

   Let's get on and move farther inside.

   Laten we

   let’s

   instappen

   get on

   verder

   farther; further

   naar binnen

   inside; inward

   gaan

   go

   More detail

   Laten we is a reusable Dutch way to propose an action together: laten + we + an infinitive. Here we means “we,” and the construction is “let’s …,” not a statement that someone is allowing something. Example: Laten we wachten. — “Let’s wait.” instappen means getting into or onto a vehicle. It is an infinitive here because it follows laten we. The verb is separable in many finite uses: Ik stap in. — “I get on.” After laten, the full infinitive instappen remains together. verder adds the idea of going farther or continuing. It is the comparative form related to ver (“far”): ver — verder — verst (“far” — “farther/further” — “farthest,” with usage depending on context). In this sentence, verder describes greater progress toward the inside, rather than distance from a separately named location. naar binnen is a directional expression meaning “inward” or “to the inside.” naar marks movement toward a destination, while binnen identifies the inside. Example: Ga naar binnen. — “Go inside.” gaan is the infinitive “go” or “move.” In this sentence it follows laten we, so it forms the second proposed action. Example: Laten we verder gaan. — “Let’s continue.” Together, Laten we instappen proposes that the speakers get onto the relevant vehicle, and verder naar binnen gaan proposes that they move farther toward the inside. The complete meaning is: “Let’s get on and move farther inside.”

8. Ik ga in het midden staan.

   I'll stand near the middle.

   Ik ga

   I’m going to

   in het midden

   in the middle

   midden

   middle

   staan

   stand

   More detail

   Ik ga uses ga, the first-person singular present form of gaan, with the subject ik (“I”). Here gaan is followed by an infinitive, so the construction ik ga + infinitive expresses a future action or intention: “I’m going to …” It does not mean that the speaker is physically going somewhere in this construction. in het midden is a location phrase meaning “in the middle.” midden is the noun “middle,” and its definite form is het midden; the preposition in places something within that location. Example: Het midden van de kamer is vrij. — “The middle of the room is free.” midden can also be used in other location expressions, such as in het midden van de straat (“in the middle of the street”). In the fixed utterance, however, the complete phrase in het midden gives the location of the standing action. staan is the infinitive “to stand” or “to be standing.” Dutch uses staan for a person’s upright position, including the position someone chooses to take. Its first-person singular present form is ik sta, but after ga the infinitive is required: Ik ga staan — “I’m going to stand.” Putting the parts together, Ik ga staan means “I’m going to stand,” and in het midden specifies where: “I’m going to stand in the middle.” This matches the fixed translation “I’ll stand near the middle,” with the target wording directly expressing the location as “in the middle.”