The usual word order in a Dutch sentence is: subject + verb + rest of the sentence. You don’t always have to start with the topic. Sometimes you start with the verb or another part of the sentence. It depends on which part of the sentence you want to emphasize. The rule is that you do not put anything between the subject and the verb.
A simple Dutch sentence consists of:a SUBJECT > PERSONAL FORM > THE REST
1.) a ONDERWERP (subject: who or what). So the SUBJECT describes a PERSOON or a DING. This person or thing does something or is something. Usually the ONDERWERP of a sentence is a ZELFSTANDIG NAAMWOORD (noun) or a (persoonlijk) VOORNAAMWOORD (pronoun). Examples of a ONDERWERP to start the sentence: Remember: When you are going to use a ZELFSTANDIG NAAMWOORD (noun) you also have to add an LIDWOORD (article) in front of it. Also there can be a situation that you talk about more than one hond or huis. Then you have to put the word in plural. Examples of a LIDWOORD in front of a ZELFSTANDIG NAAMWOORD (noun): Examples of of a ZELFSTANDIG NAAMWOORD (noun) in plural:
2.) Then comes a PERSONAL FORM, in the form of the FIRST VERB (verb). This is often a verb (verb) that we have learned before. such as EAT, DRINK, DRIVE, FLY, READ, SIT, STAND etc. Examples of the FIRST VERB in the sentence: Remember: Those verbs can also determine in which TIME we say the sentence, you can CONJUGATE them Examples of past, present:
3.) This is followed by the rest of the sentence, often who, what or where. This part of the sentence can consist of several words. Ik zit op een stoel This last part of the sentence can give a lot more information, like when, or a color, or where. Examples of the TIME-HOW-PLACE in the sentence:
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