Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

This lesson introduces Dutch time adverbs like nu (now), morgen (tomorrow), and wanneer (when), focusing on their use after verbs or as question words at the sentence start.
  1. Adverbs usually come after the verb.
  2. Hoelang and wanneer are question words that are placed at the beginning of the sentence.
Bijwoord (Adverb)Voorbeeld (Example)
nu (now)Ik lees nu een boek. (I am reading a book now.)
vandaag (today)We maken een schilderij vandaag. (We are making a painting today.)
morgen (tomorrow)Ik ga morgen naar de film. (I am going to the film tomorrow.)
dan (then)We luisteren dan naar muziek. (We then listen to music.)
wanneer (when)Wanneer luister jij naar muziek? (When do you listen to music?)
gauw (soon)Hij komt gauw weer schilderen. (He will come soon to paint again.)
hoelang (how long)Hoelang speel jij al een instrument? (How long have you been playing an instrument?)

Exercise 1: Bijwoorden van tijd (nu, dan, morgen...)

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

Morgen, nu, gauw, Wanneer, Dan, vandaag, Hoelang

1.
We schilderen ... samen in de tuin.
(We are painting together in the garden today.)
2.
Ik moet ... naar de bibliotheek om een boek te halen. Anders is het te laat.
(I have to go to the library now to get a book. Otherwise, it will be too late.)
3.
Laten we ... een film kijken.
(Let's quickly watch a film.)
4.
... speel jij op je instrument?
(When do you play your instrument?)
5.
... gaan we samen naar de bibliotheek. Vandaag is hij gesloten.
(Tomorrow we will go to the library together. Today it is closed.)
6.
Morgen wordt het mooi weer. ... gaan we schilderen in de tuin.
(Tomorrow the weather will be nice. Then we will paint in the garden.)
7.
... teken jij per dag?
(How long do you draw per day?)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Ik ga ___ naar de sportschool.

(I am going ___ to the gym.)

2. ___ speel jij gitaar?

(___ do you play guitar?)

3. Ik luister ___ naar muziek.

(I am listening ___ to music.)

4. We gaan ___ zwemmen na het werk.

(We are going ___ swimming after work.)

5. ___ speel jij al piano?

(___ have you been playing piano?)

6. Hij komt ___ naar de schilderles.

(He is coming ___ to the painting class.)

Adverbs of Time in Dutch: nu, dan, morgen...

This lesson covers basic Dutch adverbs of time, which are words that indicate when an action takes place. Understanding these will help you express time clearly in everyday conversations.

Key Adverbs and Examples

  • nu — "Ik lees nu een boek." (I am reading a book now.)
  • vandaag — "We maken een schilderij vandaag." (We are making a painting today.)
  • morgen — "Ik ga morgen naar de film." (I am going to the movies tomorrow.)
  • dan — "We luisteren dan naar muziek." (We listen to music then.)
  • wanneer — "Wanneer luister jij naar muziek?" (When do you listen to music?)
  • gauw — "Hij komt gauw weer schilderen." (He will come to paint soon.)
  • hoelang — "Hoelang speel jij al een instrument?" (How long have you been playing an instrument?)

Usage Highlights

Adverbs like nu, morgen, wanneer, and gauw specify when something happens. Most of the time, these adverbs come after the verb in a sentence.

However, the question words hoelang (how long) and wanneer (when) are placed at the beginning of the sentence to ask about time.

Important Notes for English Speakers

In Dutch, unlike English, many adverbs of time usually stand after the verb rather than before it. For example, "I read now" is Ik lees nu (not nu ik lees).

Also, question words like wanneer and hoelang start the sentence in Dutch, matching English question sentence structure but with attention to verb placement afterward.

Useful phrase patterns to practice include:

  • "Ik ga morgen naar de sportschool." (I go to the gym tomorrow.)
  • "Wanneer speel jij gitaar?" (When do you play guitar?)
  • "Hij komt gauw terug." (He will come back soon.)

Getting comfortable with these adverbs helps you talk about time confidently and ask questions about it in Dutch.

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Kato De Paepe

Business and languages

KdG University of Applied Sciences and Arts Antwerp

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Last Updated:

Thursday, 17/07/2025 21:44