Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

Learn Dutch adverbs of time (bijwoorden van tijd) like nu, morgen, dan, and wanneer to express when actions happen. Understand their position in sentences and how to use them in statements and questions with examples for A1 learners.
  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: Understanding Bijwoorden van Tijd

In this lesson, you will learn about Dutch adverbs of time, known as "bijwoorden van tijd." These words tell you when an action happens and are essential for forming clear and natural sentences in everyday Dutch.

Common Dutch Time Adverbs

Important examples include nu (now), vandaag (today), morgen (tomorrow), dan (then), wanneer (when), gauw (soon), and hoelang (how long).

Placement in Sentences

Most time adverbs come after the verb, for example, Ik lees nu een boek (I am reading a book now). However, question words like wanneer and hoelang usually appear at the beginning of a sentence, such as Wanneer luister jij naar muziek?

Using Time Adverbs in Questions and Statements

  • Ik ga morgen naar de film. (I am going to the movies tomorrow.)
  • We luisteren dan naar muziek. (We listen to music then.)
  • Wanneer speel jij gitaar? (When do you play guitar?)

Note on Dutch versus English

Unlike English, Dutch typically positions adverbs of time after the verb rather than before. For example, English says "I am going tomorrow," but Dutch places the time word after the verb: "Ik ga morgen." Question words like wanneer correspond to "when" in English and start the sentence. Familiarity with these differences will help you construct more natural sentences.

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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, 29/05/2025 16:33