Learn about the indirect object (het meewerkend voorwerp) in Dutch grammar, including its placement with or without prepositions such as 'aan' or 'voor'. Understand how personal pronouns as indirect objects take specific forms and see practical examples illustrating correct usage and word order.
- A preposition such as 'aan' or 'voor' makes the indirect object recognisable.
- With a preposition, the indirect object usually comes after the direct object.
- 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!
- A meewerkend voorwerp is often a person or an organisation.
- 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.
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 incorrectly placed because 'the counter' stands 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 should stand 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 the finite verb and the direct object.
4.
Wrong: 'for Karel' must stand after the direct object; also 'room key' should be written as one word.
