Choosing a place to sit | Learn Dutch in English

Sentence explanations

1. Waar zullen we zitten?

   Where should we sit?

   Waar

   where

   zullen we

   shall we

   zitten

   sit

   More detail

   Waar means “where” and asks about a place or position. It is a question word, not a statement about which specific place is intended. Compare waar (“where”) with wanneer (“when”): Waar woon je? means “Where do you live?”, while Wanneer vertrek je? means “When are you leaving?” zullen we combines zullen with the subject pronoun we (“we”). In this utterance, zullen we ...? is a natural way to make a joint suggestion, matching “Where should we ...?” The form we is the unstressed form of wij; both mean “we,” but wij is more emphatic. Example: Zullen we beginnen? — “Shall we begin?” zitten means “sit” here. Its base form is the infinitive zitten; after zullen, the infinitive appears at the end of the clause. Dutch zitten can also describe being seated or being located in a position, so the sentence asks where the speakers will be seated rather than necessarily focusing only on the movement of sitting down. Example: We zitten bij het raam. — “We are sitting by the window.” Together, Waar asks for the location, zullen we presents a joint suggestion or decision, and zitten names the activity or seated position. Dutch therefore places the infinitive zitten at the end: Waar zullen we zitten? means “Where should we sit?”

2. De tafel in de hoek staat op een rustige plek.

   The corner table is in a quiet spot.

   tafel

   table

   in de hoek

   in the corner

   hoek

   corner

   staat

   is standing; is situated

   op

   in; on; at

   rustige

   quiet

   plek

   spot; place

   More detail

   tafel means “table” here. Its base form is tafel; the plural is tafels. In De tafel, De presents a specific table, while the noun itself does not show number in this form. Example: De tafel is groot. — “The table is large.” in de hoek places the table in a particular corner: in is the preposition “in,” and de hoek is “the corner.” The complete phrase can also modify a noun, as in de tafel in de hoek — “the table in the corner.” Here it identifies which table is meant; it is not the main verb of the sentence. hoek means “corner.” Its plural is hoeken. The article is de in the singular and plural: de hoek, de hoeken. staat is the present-tense form of staan for a singular subject such as de tafel. Although staan literally relates to standing, Dutch also uses it for something being situated or located. The location meaning is intended here. Example: De stoel staat bij het raam. — “The chair is by the window.” op is a preposition meaning “on” in its basic spatial use. In op een rustige plek, it introduces the place where something is situated; natural English may use “in” or “at” rather than literal “on.” The preposition is followed by een rustige plek, an indefinite noun phrase. rustige means “quiet” here and describes plek. Its base form is rustig; the form before this noun is rustige. Dutch commonly adds -e to an attributive adjective before a noun with een when that noun is a common-gender de-word, as in een rustige plek. Example: een rustige straat — “a quiet street.” plek means “spot” or “place.” It is a common-gender noun, so it combines with de when definite: de plek; its plural is plekken. In this sentence, een plek presents a place without making it a specifically identified place, and rustige characterizes it as quiet. Together, De tafel in de hoek means “the table in the corner,” with in de hoek specifying which table is being referred to. staat says that this table is situated somewhere. The final phrase, op een rustige plek, gives that location as a quiet spot. Thus the whole utterance means: “The corner table is in a quiet spot.”

3. Bij deze tafel is het licht ook goed.

   This table has nice light too.

   Bij

   at; by

   deze

   this

   tafel

   table

   het licht

   the light

   ook

   also; too

   goed

   good; nice

   More detail

   Bij introduces the location associated with something: bij deze tafel means “at this table” here. It is a preposition; Dutch can also use aan deze tafel for “at this table,” especially when focusing on sitting or working there, as in the next sentence. deze means “this” and points to one nearby or contextually relevant item. It is the demonstrative used with singular de-words such as tafel; the form for a singular het-word is dit. tafel means “table.” Its plural is tafels. The phrase deze tafel identifies one particular table in the situation, but deze itself does not state who owns it or exactly where it is. het licht means “the light.” licht is a neuter noun, so its definite article is het; its plural is lichten when separate lights are meant. In this sentence, it refers to the light at the table, not to the table itself. ook means “also” or “too.” It adds this table to something already relevant: the light here is good as well. Its position can vary, but in is het licht ook goed it comes before the adjective goed. goed means “good” and describes the light here as pleasant or suitable. Its base form is goed; the comparative is beter (“better”) and the superlative is best (“best”). After the linking verb is, the adjective is used predicatively: Het licht is goed means “The light is good.” The complete pattern is Bij deze tafel is het licht ook goed: bij deze tafel sets the location, is links the subject het licht to the description, and ook goed says that the light there is good too. Thus the utterance means, “This table has nice light too,” or more literally, “At this table, the light is also good.”

4. Aan deze tafel kun je beter lezen.

   This table would be better for reading.

   Aan

   at/on

   deze

   this

   tafel

   table

   kun je

   you can

   beter

   better

   lezen

   read

   More detail

   Aan marks the location associated with the activity: here, “at/by this table.” In Dutch, aan is commonly used for being situated at a table or desk, as in Ik zit aan de tafel (“I am sitting at the table”). It is not the same as every possible English use of “at” or “on”; the appropriate preposition depends on the relation being expressed. deze means “this” and points to a singular noun that is relatively near or contextually present. Dutch demonstratives agree with the noun’s gender/number system: deze is used with singular de-words and with all plural nouns, while dit is used with singular het-words. Here it accompanies tafel, a singular de-word. tafel means “table.” Its plural is tafels: een tafel (“a table”), twee tafels (“two tables”). The compound aan deze tafel identifies the table as the location connected with the reading activity. kun je combines the present-tense form kun of kunnen (“can, be able to”) with the subject pronoun je (“you”). In this question-like or fronted main-clause order, the verb comes before the subject: Kun je lezen? means “Can you read?” Here the clause is not a question, but the same inversion pattern occurs because Aan deze tafel has been placed first: Aan deze tafel kun je ... (“At this table, you can ...”). Kunnen is a modal verb, so it is followed by an infinitive; the infinitive here is lezen. beter means “better” here and is the comparative form of goed (“good”). The basic comparison is goed → beter → het best (“good” → “better” → “the best”). In this sentence, beter presents this table as a more suitable option for reading, without stating that it is the best possible option. lezen is the infinitive “to read.” After the modal verb kunnen, Dutch uses the infinitive: Je kunt hier lezen means “You can read here.” The word lezen itself does not show the subject’s person or number in this construction; kun carries the finite verb marking for je. Together, aan deze tafel gives the location, kun je expresses the possibility or suitability associated with “you,” beter makes a comparison of suitability, and lezen names the activity. The whole utterance therefore means: “This table would be better for reading.” In natural Dutch, the modal and comparative combination presents this table as a better place or option for the activity, rather than literally saying that the table itself reads better.

5. Zijn deze stoelen comfortabel?

   Are these chairs comfortable?

   Zijn

   are

   deze

   these

   stoelen

   chairs

   comfortabel

   comfortable

   More detail

   Zijn is the present-tense plural form of zijn (“to be”). In this question it comes before the subject because Dutch places the finite verb first in a yes/no question: Zijn ...? = “Are ...?” With a singular subject, use is: Is deze stoel comfortabel? (“Is this chair comfortable?”) deze means “these” here and points to more than one nearby or identifiable item. It is also used with a singular de-word, as in deze stoel (“this chair”); the plural form itself does not show a masculine/feminine distinction. stoelen means “chairs” and is the plural of stoel (“chair”). The plural ending is -en: stoel → stoelen. For one chair, use stoel: Deze stoel is comfortabel. (“This chair is comfortable.”) comfortabel means “comfortable.” It is a descriptive adjective used here after zijn, so it describes the chairs rather than modifying the noun directly. In this predicative position it appears as comfortabel, without an added adjective ending. Example: De stoelen zijn comfortabel. — “The chairs are comfortable.” Together, Zijn deze stoelen comfortabel? forms a yes/no question: zijn is the finite verb, deze stoelen is the plural subject, and comfortabel describes that subject. The complete meaning is “Are these chairs comfortable?”

6. Voor mij zitten ze goed.

   They feel fine to me.

   Voor mij

   to me

   zitten

   sit; feel comfortable

   ze

   they

   goed

   well; fine

   More detail

   Voor mij means “for me” or “to me” here: it marks the speaker’s personal assessment. Voor is the preposition “for,” and mij is the stressed form of the first-person pronoun; the unstressed form is me. Example: Dat is voor mij te duur. — “That is too expensive for me.” zitten normally means “to sit.” In the reusable expression goed zitten, especially with clothing, shoes, or furniture, it can mean “to fit well” or “to feel comfortable.” In this sentence, the chairs are understood to be comfortable to the speaker. With plural ze, the present-tense form is zitten; compare singular hij/zij zit — “he/she sits” or “fits.” ze is the unstressed Dutch pronoun “they” here, referring to the chairs identified in the supplied context. Dutch ze can have other functions in other contexts, but the plural interpretation is fixed here by the translation and context. The stressed plural form is zij. goed means “well” in this construction. It describes how the chairs zitten, rather than agreeing with a noun as an adjective would. Compare De schoenen zitten goed. — “The shoes fit well.” The opposite is slecht: De schoenen zitten slecht. — “The shoes fit badly.” Together, Voor mij + zitten + ze + goed gives “They feel fine to me” or, more literally, “For me, they fit/sit well.” The sentence presents the speaker’s personal judgment that the chairs are comfortable.

7. Laten we aan deze tafel gaan zitten.

   Let's sit at this table.

   Laten we

   let’s

   aan

   at

   deze

   this

   tafel

   table

   gaan zitten

   sit down

   More detail

   Laten we is the Dutch pattern for “let’s” when suggesting that the speaker and others do something together. Laten is the infinitive of “to let,” but in this fixed pattern it introduces a first-person plural suggestion: Laten we + infinitive. For example: Laten we beginnen. — “Let’s begin.” aan marks the location associated with the table here. With tafel, aan deze tafel means “at this table.” Dutch also uses aan in other location patterns, so its exact English equivalent depends on the noun and situation. deze means “this” here and points to a singular common-gender noun: deze tafel. Dutch uses dit with a singular neuter noun, while deze is also used with plural nouns. The demonstrative itself identifies something as near or contextually selected; the sentence does not need to specify more about the table. tafel means “table.” Its usual singular form takes the article de: de tafel; its plural is tafels. For example: De tafel is groot. — “The table is big.” gaan zitten is a common combination meaning “sit down” in this sentence. gaan means “to go” and zitten means “to sit”; together, gaan zitten describes moving into a sitting position. After Laten we, the infinitive phrase remains gaan zitten, as in Laten we gaan zitten. — “Let’s sit down.” Together, Laten we introduces a joint suggestion, aan deze tafel specifies the location, and gaan zitten gives the proposed action. The whole utterance therefore means “Let’s sit at this table.”

8. Ik leg onze tassen onder de tafel.

   I'll put our bags under it.

   Ik

   I

   leg

   put; place

   onze

   our

   tassen

   bags

   onder

   under

   tafel

   table

   More detail

   Ik means “I” and is the first-person singular subject: the speaker presents themself as the person who will place something. Dutch subject pronouns include ik “I,” jij/je “you” (singular), and wij/we “we.” leg is the present-tense first-person singular form of leggen, “to lay” or “to put/place.” In this sentence, the present form describes the speaker’s intended placement in the immediate situation; Dutch commonly uses the present tense for such a near-future action. The verb takes a direct object: Ik leg de tas... means “I put the bag...” The form for “I” is leg; do not treat leggen as the observed form in the sentence. onze means “our” and identifies the bags as belonging to the speaker together with at least one other person. It is a possessive determiner placed before the noun. Unlike a form such as mijn “my,” onze is the form used for “our”; its form does not change here because tassen is plural. tassen means “bags.” It is the plural of tas “bag,” formed with -en: tas → tassen. The plural noun is the direct object of leg: it is what the speaker will place. Example: Ik pak de tassen. — “I pick up the bags.” onder means “under” and introduces the location. It is a preposition, so it links the placement to what is below the bags. Example: De tas ligt onder de stoel. — “The bag is under the chair.” tafel means “table.” In the sentence it is singular and appears with the definite article de: de tafel, “the table.” The nearby context identifies this as the table already mentioned in deze tafel (“this table”), and the fixed translation expresses the same reference with “it.” Dutch has de tafel for this noun; the article is not a numerical marker. Together, Ik leg gives “I will put/place,” onze tassen gives “our bags,” and onder de tafel gives “under the table.” The complete utterance means: “I’ll put our bags under the table.”