Language/Dutch/Grammar/Prepositions-of-Place-and-Time

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Dutch Grammar → Prepositions and Pronouns → Prepositions of Place and Time

As a Dutch language teacher with 20 years of teaching experience, I know that prepositions can be one of the trickiest parts of learning a new language. However, with the right guidance and practice, anyone can master them. In this lesson, we will focus on prepositions of place and time in Dutch.

With the completion of this lesson, consider investigating these related pages: The Locative Case in Dutch & Nouns.

Prepositions of Place

Prepositions of place are used to indicate where something or someone is located in space. Below are the most common prepositions of place in Dutch:

Achter (behind)
Voor (in front of)
Naast (next to)
Op (on)
In (in)
Onder (under)
Tussen (between)

To use prepositions of place correctly, it is essential to learn how to use them in sentences. Here are a few examples:

Dutch	Pronunciation	English
De kat zit op de stoel.	de kɑt zɪt ɔp də stul	The cat is sitting on the chair.
Ik woon tussen de supermarkt en het park.	ɪk woːn tʏsə(n) də sʏpərmɑ(r)kt ɛn hɛt pɑrk	I live between the supermarket and the park.
De boeken zijn onder de tafel.	də bukə(n) zɪn ɔndər də taːfəl	The books are under the table.

In the examples above, you can see how prepositions of place have been used with different nouns.

Prepositions of Time

Prepositions of time are used to indicate when an event occurred or will occur. Below are the most common prepositions of time in Dutch:

Om (at)
Tegen (around)
Over (in)
Voor (before)
Na (after)
Sinds (since)
Vanaf (from)

To use prepositions of time correctly, it is essential to learn how to use them in sentences. Here are a few examples:

Dutch	Pronunciation	English
Ik sta om 7 uur op.	ɪk staː ɔm zɛvə(n) yːr ɔp	I get up at 7 o'clock.
De film begint om 20 uur.	də fɪlm bəxɪnt ɔm twɛntə(n) yːr	The movie starts at 8 pm.
We gaan naar het strand over twee weken.	wə ɣaː(n) naːr hɛt strand ɔvər tʏsə weekə(n)	We're going to the beach in two weeks.

In the examples above, you can see how prepositions of time have been used to indicate different time expressions.

Prepositions of Place and Time in Combination

In Dutch, prepositions of place and time can be combined to indicate both where and when something occurred or will occur. Below are a few examples:

Op maandagochtend (on Monday morning)
In de zomermaanden (in the summer months)
Voor de kerk (in front of the church)
Na het eten (after dinner)

To use prepositions of place and time in combination correctly, it is important to learn how to use them in context. Here are a few examples:

Dutch	Pronunciation	English
We gaan op vrijdagavond naar de bioscoop.	wə ɣaː(n) ɔp vrɛɪdɑvɔnt naːr də biɔskoːp	We're going to the cinema on Friday evening.
Ik ben in de lente geboren.	ɪk bɛn ɪ(n) də lɛntə ɣəboːrə(n)	I was born in the spring.
De kinderen spelen na schooltijd in het park.	də kɪndərə(n) speːlə(n) naː skoːltɛit ɪ(n) hɛt pɑrk	The children play in the park after school time.

In the examples above, you can see how prepositions of place and time in combination have been used to indicate different time expressions and spatial location.

Tips and Tricks

- To remember prepositions of place, think of where objects are located and what is around them. - To remember prepositions of time, think of important dates and events and use them as reference points. - Practice making your own sentences using prepositions of place and time in different contexts.

I hope this lesson has been helpful in guiding you through prepositions of place and time in Dutch. Stay tuned for our next lesson on reflexive and possessive pronouns.

Sources

Table of Contents - Dutch Course - 0 to A1

Course Presentation

Alphabet and Pronunciation

Nouns and Articles

Verbs and Conjugation

Adjectives and Adverbs

Prepositions and Pronouns

Family

Food and Drinks

Travel

Work and Jobs

The Netherlands

Dutch Customs

Videos

Om, In, Op | Dutch Prepositions and Time | Dutch Grammar - YouTube

How to use op in Dutch: preposition - YouTube

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