Learn how to use het meewerkend voorwerp in Dutch, with examples like 'aan de gast' and personal pronouns zoals 'mij', 'jou', en 'hem'. Ontdek verschillen in plaatsing met en zonder voorzetsel voor correcte zinsbouw.
  1. A preposition such as 'aan' or 'voor' makes the indirect object recognisable.
  2. With a preposition, the indirect object usually comes after the direct object.
  3. An indirect object without a preposition immediately follows the finite verb.
 Plaats (Place)Voorbeeld (Example)
Zonder voorzetsel (Without preposition)Na de persoonsvorm (After the finite verb)De receptionist geeft de gast de sleutel aan de balie.  (The receptionist gives the guest the key at the reception desk.)
Met voorzetsel (With preposition)Aan het einde van de zin (At the end of the sentence)De receptionist geeft de sleutel aan de gast. (The receptionist gives the key to the guest.)

Exceptions!

  1. A meewerkend voorwerp is often a person or an organisation.
  2. Use the persoonlijke voornaamwoorden: voorwerpsvorm mij/me, jou/je, u, hem, haar, het, ons, jullie, hun as indirect object.

Exercise 1: Het meewerkend voorwerp

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

de gast, de receptie, mijn moeder, ons, de baliemedewerker

1.
Ik kies voor ... een kamer met zicht op zee.
(I choose a room with a sea view for my mother.)
2.
We geven de sleutel terug aan ....
(We give the key back to the receptionist.)
3.
Hij meldt het probleem aan ....
(He reports the problem at the reception.)
4.
De receptionist geeft ... de sleutel van kamer 12.
(The receptionist gives the guest the key to room 12.)
5.
De man geeft ... een kamer met balkon.
(The man gives us a room with a balcony.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose in each group the sentence with the correct use of the indirect object according to the rules: with or without preposition, and its correct placement.

1.
Wrong: the indirect object with preposition 'to the guest' is wrong here, because 'the counter' is placed in between.
Wrong: the indirect object with preposition 'to' must come after the direct object, not directly after the verb.
2.
Wrong: the indirect object with preposition 'to' must come after the direct object, not directly after the verb.
Wrong: if a preposition is used, the indirect object must be after the direct object, and 'to the room' is not correct here as an indirect object.
3.
Wrong: indirect object with preposition must be placed after the direct object, not between finite verb and direct object.
4.
Wrong: 'for Karel' must be placed after the direct object; also 'room key' must be written as one word.

Understanding the Indirect Object in Dutch: Het Meewerkend Voorwerp

This lesson focuses on the indirect object in Dutch sentences, known as het meewerkend voorwerp. The indirect object indicates to whom or for whom something is done, which is essential in everyday communication.

Basics of the Indirect Object

The indirect object often refers to a person or an organization. It usually answers the question: "To whom?" or "For whom?" For example, aan Lies (to Lies) or voor Karel (for Karel).

Position and Use of Prepositions

There are two main patterns for the indirect object placement:

  • Without a preposition: The indirect object directly follows the conjugated verb (the personal verb form).
    Example: De receptionist geeft de gast de sleutel aan de balie.
  • With a preposition (usually aan or voor): The indirect object appears at the end of the sentence, after the direct object.
    Example: De receptionist geeft de sleutel aan de gast.

Personal Pronouns in the Indirect Object Form

When using personal pronouns as indirect objects, use the object form:

  • mij / me (me)
  • jou / je (you singular)
  • u (formal you)
  • hem (him)
  • haar (her)
  • het (it)
  • ons (us)
  • jullie (you plural)
  • hun (them)

Example: Kunt u mij extra handdoeken brengen?

Summary of Key Points

  • The indirect object indicates for or to whom an action is done.
  • It can appear with or without a preposition.
  • Indirect objects without a preposition come directly after the conjugated verb.
  • Indirect objects with a preposition come after the direct object.
  • Use the appropriate object form of personal pronouns for indirect objects.

Differences and Useful Notes for English Speakers

In English, indirect objects appear mostly without a preposition when placed before the direct object (e.g., "I give him the book"), or with a preposition "to" or "for" when placed after (e.g., "I give the book to him"). This parallels Dutch indirect object placement but with different prepositions: aan corresponds to "to," and voor corresponds to "for." Dutch is stricter about the position of the indirect object, especially with prepositions.

Useful Dutch phrases:

  • aan iemand iets geven – to give someone something
  • voor iemand iets doen – to do something for someone
  • persoonlijke voornaamwoorden in de voorwerpsvorm – object form personal pronouns

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This content has been designed and reviewed by the coLanguage pedagogical team: About coLanguage

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Kato De Paepe

Business and languages

KdG University of Applied Sciences and Arts Antwerp

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Last Updated:

Tuesday, 02/09/2025 01:44