Learn to form Dutch main clauses (hoofdzin) using subject-verb-object order and how to ask yes/no questions (ja/nee-vragen) starting with the verb, such as 'Woon je in Utrecht?' and 'Kom jij uit Utrecht?'.
  1. A main clause follows the order: subject - verb - rest
  2. A yes/no question begins with the verb, followed by the subject. The other parts of the sentence remain in their place.
ZinstypeVoorbeeld
HoofdzinIk kom uit Engeland. (I come from England.)
Ik woon nu in Utrecht.
Jan leest een boek in zijn kamer. (Jan is reading a book in his room.)
Ja/nee-vraagWoon je in Utrecht?
Krijg je morgen bezoek?
Zijn je ouders daar op vakantie?
Schijnt de zon deze week?

Exercise 1: Hoofdzinnen en ja/nee-vragen

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

kom, Woon, Zijn, woon

1.
... je in Amsterdam?
(Do you live in Amsterdam?)
2.
Ik ... nu in Rotterdam.
(I now live in Rotterdam.)
3.
... je ouders op vakantie?
(Are your parents on holiday?)
4.
Ik ... uit Nederland.
(I come from the Netherlands.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. ___ jij in Amsterdam?

(___ you live in Amsterdam?)

2. ___ jij je telefoonnummer aan mij?

(___ you give me your phone number?)

3. ___ jij vaak e-mails?

(___ you often receive emails?)

4. ___ jouw postcode 1234 AB?

(___ your postcode 1234 AB?)

5. ___ de man en de vrouw thuis?

(___ the man and the woman at home?)

6. ___ jij uit Utrecht?

(___ you come from Utrecht?)

Main Clauses and Yes/No Questions in Dutch

This lesson focuses on two fundamental sentence types in Dutch: main clauses (hoofdzinnen) and yes/no questions (ja/nee-vragen). Understanding these structures is essential for building clear, simple sentences and asking basic questions, which are key skills at the A1 beginner level.

Main Clauses (Hoofdzinnen)

Main clauses follow a straightforward word order: subject - verb - other elements. For example:

  • Ik kom uit Engeland.
  • Ik woon nu in Utrecht.
  • Jan leest een boek in zijn kamer.

These sentences present statements and are the building blocks for everyday communication.

Yes/No Questions (Ja/nee-vragen)

Yes/no questions require answers of only “yes” or “no.” Their word order is slightly different from main clauses. The verb begins the sentence, followed by the subject, with the rest of the sentence remaining in place. Examples include:

  • Woon je in Utrecht?
  • Krijg je morgen bezoek?
  • Zijn je ouders daar op vakantie?
  • Schijnt de zon deze week?

This inversion of the verb and subject signals to the listener that a question is being asked.

Key Points to Remember

  • Main clause word order: subject - verb - rest of the sentence.
  • Yes/no question word order: verb - subject - rest of the sentence.
  • Answers to yes/no questions are always simply ja (yes) or nee (no).

Differences Between English and Dutch Sentence Structure

Unlike English, where question word order often involves auxiliary verbs (e.g., "Do you live in Utrecht?"), Dutch forms yes/no questions by directly switching the position of the verb and subject without adding auxiliary verbs. For instance, "Woon je in Utrecht?" translates literally as "Live you in Utrecht?" Woon is the verb (live), and je is the subject (you).

Useful phrases and their English equivalents include:

  • Ik kom uit Engeland. — I come from England.
  • Woon je in Utrecht? — Do you live in Utrecht?
  • Zijn je ouders op vakantie? — Are your parents on vacation?

Written by

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

Profile Picture

Kato De Paepe

Business and languages

KdG University of Applied Sciences and Arts Antwerp

University_Logo

Last Updated:

Thursday, 18/09/2025 02:24