Using a shared meeting room | Learn Dutch in English

Sentence explanations

1. Kunnen we de gedeelde vergaderruimte gebruiken?

   Can we use the shared meeting room?

   Kunnen we

   Can we

   gedeelde

   shared

   vergaderruimte

   meeting room

   gebruiken

   use

   More detail

   Kunnen we contains the Dutch modal verb kunnen (“can/be able to”) followed by the subject we (“we”). In a yes/no question, Dutch commonly places the finite verb before the subject: Kunnen we ...? The infinitive belonging to kunnen appears later in the clause. Compare the statement pattern We kunnen ... (“We can ...”) with the question pattern Kunnen we ...?. gedeelde means “shared” here. It is the form of gedeeld, the past participle of delen (“to share”), used adjectivally before the noun vergaderruimte. Before this definite noun, the adjective has the -e ending. This word describes the room as shared; it does not itself express who shares it. vergaderruimte is a Dutch compound noun meaning “meeting room”: vergadering means “meeting” and ruimte means “room” or “space”. Dutch compounds are written as one word, with the final part normally determining the basic noun category and meaning. Example: werkruimte means “work space”. gebruiken is the infinitive “to use”. With the modal kunnen, it remains in the infinitive rather than taking a finite ending: We kunnen de ruimte gebruiken means “We can use the space.” In the question, kunnen moves to the front while gebruiken stays later in the clause. Together, Kunnen we asks about ability or permission in this context, de gedeelde vergaderruimte identifies the shared meeting room, and gebruiken supplies the action. The complete utterance therefore means: “Can we use the shared meeting room?”

2. Dat kan, maar houd de ruimte netjes voor andere mensen.

   You can, but keep it tidy for other people.

   Dat kan

   You can

   houd

   keep

   ruimte

   space; room

   netjes

   tidy

   andere

   other

   mensen

   people

   More detail

   Dat kan means “You can” here. dat is a demonstrative pronoun meaning “that” or “it”; its specific referent is supplied by the preceding question about using the shared meeting room. kan is the present-tense form of kunnen for “can” with a singular subject such as je, hij, or zij. In this sentence, the subject is understood as je (“you”), as shown by the fixed translation. Compare Ik kan (“I can”) and Wij kunnen (“We can”). houd comes from houden (“to keep” or “to hold”). Here it is the singular informal imperative: “keep”. Dutch imperatives commonly use the verb stem, so houden gives houd; the subject je is normally omitted. Example: Houd de deur open. — “Keep the door open.” de ruimte means “the space” or “the room”. ruimte is a common-gender noun, so the definite article is de. In this context, the translation and preceding question support the meaning “room”, specifically the shared meeting room. The plural is ruimtes (“spaces; rooms”). netjes means “tidy” or “neat”. It describes the condition in which the room should be kept. It is an adjective used here in a predicative or result-like way after houd ...: Houd de kamer netjes. — “Keep the room tidy.” Netjes does not change form in this use. andere means “other” before a plural noun. The related singular forms are een andere ruimte (“another space”) and de andere ruimte (“the other space”). In andere mensen, it marks people distinct from the people already relevant in the situation; it does not itself state how many people there are. mensen means “people”. It is the irregular plural of mens (“person; human being”): één mens, twee mensen. The phrase voor andere mensen means “for other people”; voor introduces the people for whom the tidiness matters. Together, Dat kan grants the possibility of using the room: “You can.” The imperative houd then gives the instruction, with de ruimte as what should be maintained and netjes as its desired condition. voor andere mensen adds the consideration for whom it should remain tidy. The complete meaning is: “You can, but keep it tidy for other people.”

3. Is deze tafel vrij?

   Is this table free?

   Is

   is

   deze

   this

   tafel

   table

   vrij

   free; available

   More detail

   Is is the present-tense form of zijn (“to be”) for a singular third-person subject. In a yes/no question, Dutch commonly places the finite verb before the subject: Is deze tafel ...? Compare the statement Deze tafel is ... (“This table is ...”). deze means “this” and points to one nearby or contextually relevant singular noun. It is the form used with singular de-words; tafel is a de-word. The corresponding form for a singular het-word is dit, as in the example dit huis (“this house”). tafel means “table.” Its plural is tafels (“tables”). vrij means “free” here in the sense of “unoccupied” or “available,” not “free of charge.” The context supports asking whether the table can be used. Example: Is deze stoel vrij? — “Is this chair available?” Together, Is + deze tafel forms a yes/no question about the table, and vrij describes its current availability: “Is this table available?”

4. Die is nu beschikbaar.

   It is available now.

   Die

   it

   is

   is

   nu

   now

   beschikbaar

   available

   More detail

   Die means “it” here and refers to the thing being asked about, the table mentioned in the preceding question. As a demonstrative pronoun, die is used for a singular common-gender noun such as de tafel, and also for plural nouns. The contrasting singular neuter form is dat; deze means “this” rather than “that/it” in this contrast. is is the present-tense form of zijn (“to be”) for a singular subject. The useful present-tense contrast is ik ben (“I am”), jij bent (“you are”), and hij/zij/het is (“he/she/it is”). nu means “now” and places the availability in the present time. For example, De tafel is nu vrij. means “The table is free now.” beschikbaar is an adjective meaning “available.” It is used here after is as a predicate adjective, so it describes the subject rather than appearing before a noun. A related contrast is niet beschikbaar (“not available”): De tafel is niet beschikbaar. means “The table is not available.” Together, Die is nu beschikbaar. means “It is available now.” The demonstrative identifies the previously discussed item, is beschikbaar says that it has the property of being available, and nu specifies that this is true at the present time.

5. Ik leg mijn tas bij de muur.

   I will put my bag by the wall.

   Ik

   I

   leg

   put

   mijn

   my

   tas

   bag

   bij

   by; near

   muur

   wall

   More detail

   Ik means “I” here: it is the first-person singular subject pronoun, used for the speaker. A useful contrast is jij (“you,” singular informal) when addressing another person. leg is the first-person singular present form of leggen, “to put” or “to lay.” The form changes with the subject: ik leg, while jij legt uses legt. In this sentence, the present form is understood with the intended future meaning “will put,” as shown by the fixed translation; Dutch can use the present for a planned or imminent action. mijn means “my.” It is a possessive determiner placed before the noun: mijn tas = “my bag.” It identifies possession by the speaker; it does not itself express a number. tas means “bag.” Its plural is tassen: een tas (“a bag”), twee tassen (“two bags”). bij means “by” or “near” in this location phrase. It introduces the place associated with the action: bij de muur means “by the wall.” Do not confuse it with naar (“to,” indicating movement toward a destination). muur means “wall.” In the fixed phrase it follows the definite article de: de muur = “the wall.” The article belongs to the noun phrase, while muur is the noun itself. Together, Ik leg gives “I put” with the intended future reading, mijn tas gives “my bag,” and bij de muur gives its location, “by the wall.” The complete utterance therefore means “I will put my bag by the wall.”

6. Houd de tafel alstublieft vrij.

   Please keep the table clear.

   Houd

   keep

   tafel

   table

   alstublieft

   please

   vrij

   clear; free

   More detail

   Houd is the imperative of houden (“to keep” or “to hold”). In this sentence it gives a polite instruction to one or more listeners; the subject is understood rather than stated. The reusable pattern is Houd + object + adjective: “Keep the object [adjective].” For example: Houd de deur open. — “Keep the door open.” tafel means “table.” Its base form is singular tafel; the plural is tafels. In this sentence, de tafel refers to the table as the object whose condition should be maintained. Dutch nouns are often introduced with a definite article such as de, although that article is not included in the selected quote. alstublieft is the polite word “please.” It can soften a request or instruction. Here it makes the imperative courteous, without changing the requested action. vrij is an adjective meaning “clear” here: unobstructed or kept available. The same adjective can also mean “free” in other contexts, so its intended sense comes from the noun and the fixed translation. In the pattern iets vrij houden, vrij describes the state that should be maintained. For example: Houd het pad vrij. — “Keep the path clear.” Together, Houd de tafel vrij means “Keep the table clear”: maintain the table in an unobstructed state. Adding alstublieft makes the complete utterance “Please keep the table clear.”

7. Als we klaar zijn, laten we de ruimte schoon achter.

   We will leave the room clean when we finish.

   Als we klaar zijn

   when we are finished

   ruimte

   room; space

   schoon

   clean

   laten … achter

   leave behind

   More detail

   Als we klaar zijn means “when we are finished” here. als introduces a subordinate clause and can mean “when” for a situation expected to occur; it can also mean “if” in other contexts. we is the subject, and zijn is the present-tense plural form used with we of zijn (“to be”). In this clause, the verb appears at the end: Als we klaar zijn. klaar means “finished” or “ready”; here it describes the state reached by we. ruimte means “room” here. Its base noun is ruimte, and the phrase uses the definite form de ruimte (“the room”). The same noun can also mean “space” when the context concerns available room rather than a room as a place. schoon means “clean”. Here it is a predicative adjective: it describes the condition of de ruimte after the leaving action. For example, De kamer is schoon. means “The room is clean.” laten ... achter expresses “leave ... behind” in this sentence. The two parts are separated because this is the separable verb achterlaten; the finite part laten appears before the object, while the particle achter appears later. In laten we, inversion places the finite verb before the subject: we laten becomes laten we. Do not confuse this use of laten with its other common use meaning “let” or “have someone do something”; the intended meaning here is fixed by the surrounding construction and translation. Together, laten we de ruimte schoon achter means “we leave the room clean”: de ruimte is what is left, and schoon states its resulting condition. The initial subordinate clause supplies the time, so the complete utterance is “We will leave the room clean when we finish.” In Dutch, the present forms can refer to a future situation when the context makes that time clear.

8. Dat helpt de volgende groep.

   That helps the next group.

   Dat

   That

   helpt

   helps

   volgende

   next

   groep

   group

   More detail

   Dat means “that” here and functions as the subject. It is a demonstrative pronoun referring to something already identifiable in the situation or discourse; the sentence itself does not specify exactly what it is. Compare dit (“this”) for a nearer or more directly indicated referent. Example: Dat is goed. — “That is good.” helpt comes from helpen, “to help.” In the present tense, helpt is the form used with a singular third-person subject such as dat: dat helpt. The same verb has ik help (“I help”) and wij helpen (“we help”). Example: Deze uitleg helpt. — “This explanation helps.” volgende means “next” in the sense of the one that comes after the current or previously mentioned one. It is the adjective modifying groep. In de volgende groep, the adjective has the attributive -e form after the definite article de. Volgende is not the noun’s base form; it describes which group is meant. Example: De volgende trein komt om acht uur. — “The next train arrives at eight o’clock.” groep means “group.” Here it is singular: de groep; its plural is groepen. The definite article de identifies the group as a particular one, while volgende specifies its position in sequence. Example: De groep werkt samen. — “The group works together.” Together, Dat helpt means “That helps,” and de volgende groep means “the next group.” The complete utterance is therefore “That helps the next group.” Dutch places the direct object after the finite verb here: Dat (subject) + helpt (finite verb) + de volgende groep (object).