Learn how to use the Dutch adverbs binnenkort, pas, misschien, graag, and anders to express time, preference, and possibility. This lesson covers meanings with examples and highlights key grammatical differences to help you use these words correctly in everyday conversation.
| Bijwoord (Adverb) | Betekenis (Meaning) | Voorbeeldzin (Example sentence) |
|---|---|---|
| binnenkort | In de nabije toekomst (In the near future) | Ik begin binnenkort mijn eigen bedrijf. (I will start my own company soon.) |
| pas | Net of onlangs (Just) | Ik heb pas de boekhouding gedaan. (I have just done the bookkeeping.) |
| misschien | Onzekerheid, mogelijkheid (Uncertainty, possibility) | Misschien investeer ik volgende maand in iets groots. (Maybe I will invest in something big next month.) |
| graag | Met plezier, wens (With pleasure, wish) | Ik werk graag samen met mijn collega's. (I gladly work together with my colleagues.) |
| anders | Alternatief, waarschuwing (Alternative, warning) | Je moet het anders aanpakken om winst te maken. (You have to approach it differently to make a profit.) |
Exercise 1: Bijwoorden: binnenkort, pas, misschien, graag, anders
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
binnenkort, graag, Misschien, Binnenkort, Pas
1.
... moet ik meer in de marketing investeren.
(Maybe I should invest more in marketing.)
2.
... starten we een nieuw bedrijf in de stad.
(We will be starting a new company in the city soon.)
3.
Mijn collega helpt ... met de boekhouding.
(My colleague is happy to help with the bookkeeping.)
4.
... na het vergaderen maak ik de winst bekend.
(Only after the meeting do I announce the profit.)
5.
Ik werk ... met mijn collega samen.
(I like working with my colleague.)
6.
... heeft de concurrent een beter idee.
(Maybe the competitor has a better idea.)
7.
Ik begin ... met mijn nieuwe administratie.
(I will soon start my new administration.)
Exercise 2: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct sentence with the right adverb from the options. Pay close attention to the correct use of the adverbs: soon, just, maybe, gladly, otherwise.
1.
"Just" means recently or only, but the combination with "later" is ungrammatical and illogical in this sentence.
The combination and order of "maybe" and "soon" is confusing and unnatural here.
2.
"Gladly" expresses preference, but here "just" fits better because it concerns a recent action.
"Soon" refers to the future, but the sentence is in the past tense; therefore, it is incorrect.
3.
The word "already" at the end is redundant and does not sound natural here.
The word order is incorrect; in a main clause, the verb always stands in the second position.
4.
The word order is wrong; "gladly" should come after the verb.
The combination "otherwise gladly" is grammatically incorrect and illogical.
