Vandaag eet ik pizza.
English: Today I eat pizza.
- Language
- Dutch
- Level
- A2
- Unit
- Zinsstructuur en woordvolgorde
- Practice types
- 0
What this grammar point covers
In Dutch, 'inversie' means that the verb comes before the subject in a sentence. This often happens when a sentence does not start with the subject.
When to use it
You use inversie in Dutch when you start a sentence with something other than the subject, like a time, place, or another part of the sentence. This is common after words like 'maar', 'want', or after a question.
Key forms
- Time/Place/Other element + verb + subject + rest
- Morgen ga ik naar school.
- Daar woont mijn vriend.
Examples
Na het werk ga ik naar huis.
English: After work I go home.
In de zomer zwemmen wij vaak.
English: In the summer we often swim.
Daar staat de auto.
English: There stands the car.
Tips
- Remember: when the sentence starts with something other than the subject, switch the subject and verb.
- After conjunctions like 'maar' or 'dan', use inversie.
- Do not use inversie after 'en' or 'want'.
Exceptions and edge cases
- After 'en' (and) and 'want' (because), the verb does not move; no inversie.