Exemples par niveau
Hij heeft de neiging om alles tot in de puntjes te analyseren voordat hij een beslissing neemt, wat soms leidt tot vertragingen.
He has a tendency to analyze everything in detail before he makes a decision, which sometimes leads to delays.
Tendency ('neiging') followed by 'om te' + infinitive.
Hoewel hij aanvankelijk sceptisch was over het project, heeft hij zich naarmate het vorderde volledig gecommitteerd.
Although he was initially skeptical about the project, he fully committed himself as it progressed.
Use of 'hoewel' (although) to introduce a contrasting clause.
De filosoof, bekend om zijn abstracte ideeën, is erin geslaagd een breed publiek aan te spreken, zelfs buiten academische kringen.
The philosopher, known for his abstract ideas, has succeeded in appealing to a wide audience, even outside academic circles.
Use of 'erin geslaagd' (succeeded in) + 'te' + infinitive.
Hij had zo'n druk schema dat hij nauwelijks tijd had om te ontspannen, laat staan om zijn hobby's te beoefenen.
He had such a busy schedule that he barely had time to relax, let alone pursue his hobbies.
Expression 'laat staan' (let alone).
Na jaren van toewijding en hard werken, heeft hij eindelijk zijn droombaan bemachtigd en bloeit hij helemaal op.
After years of dedication and hard work, he finally landed his dream job and is truly flourishing.
'Bemachtigen' (to acquire/land) is a common verb in this context.
Hij argumenteerde vurig voor een hervorming van het onderwijssysteem, stellende dat de huidige methoden verouderd zijn.
He passionately argued for a reform of the education system, stating that the current methods are outdated.
Use of 'stellende' (stating) as a present participle.
Het is onmiskenbaar dat hij een cruciale rol heeft gespeeld in de totstandkoming van dit innovatieve concept.
It is undeniable that he played a crucial role in the creation of this innovative concept.
Expression 'totstandkoming' (creation/establishment).
Zelfs toen hij met onverwachte tegenslagen te maken kreeg, bleef hij standvastig en vond hij een oplossing.
Even when he faced unexpected setbacks, he remained steadfast and found a solution.
'Tegenslagen' (setbacks) is a useful word for C1 learners.
Astuces
Pronouncing 'hij'
The 'h' in hij is like the 'h' in house. The 'ij' sound is a diphthong, similar to the 'ay' in my or the 'eye' in eye. Practice saying it aloud.
Basic sentence structure with 'hij'
In Dutch, the basic sentence structure is similar to English: Subject + Verb + Object. So, Hij eet means 'He eats.'
Don't confuse 'hij' with 'zij'
A common mistake for beginners is to confuse hij (he) with zij (she). Pay close attention to the starting sound.
Contractions with 'hij'
Dutch doesn't typically use contractions like 'he's' (he is). You will always say hij is (he is) as two separate words.
Using 'hij' for animals
In Dutch, if you know the gender of an animal, you can use hij (he) or zij (she). If the gender is unknown or not important, you might use het (it) with 'de' words sometimes, or just avoid a pronoun.
Questions with 'hij'
To form a question with hij, you often invert the subject and verb. For example, Eet hij? means 'Does he eat?' or 'Is he eating?'
Formal vs. informal 'he'
Dutch uses hij for 'he' in all contexts, both formal and informal, unlike some languages that have different forms. However, the polite 'you' (u) can be used for a male, but that's a different concept.
Practice with verbs
Pair hij with various verbs to practice. Try: hij loopt (he walks), hij werkt (he works), hij drinkt (he drinks).
Listening for 'hij'
Listen for hij in Dutch conversations, movies, and songs. Pay attention to how native speakers use it naturally. Context will help you understand its usage.
Using 'hij' in descriptions
You can use hij to describe someone. For example, Hij is lang (He is tall) or Hij is moe (He is tired).
Teste-toi 18 questions
___ is mijn broer. (He is my brother.)
To say 'He is my brother', you use 'Hij'.
Waar is Jan? ___ is buiten. (Where is Jan? He is outside.)
Since Jan is a male person, you refer to him as 'Hij'.
Mijn vader leest een boek. ___ leest graag. (My father is reading a book. He likes to read.)
Your father is a male, so 'Hij' is the correct pronoun.
De jongen speelt voetbal. ___ is snel. (The boy plays football. He is fast.)
For 'the boy', the pronoun 'Hij' is used.
Mijn opa is oud. ___ woont in Amsterdam. (My grandfather is old. He lives in Amsterdam.)
Your grandfather is a male, so 'Hij' is the correct pronoun.
De man eet brood. ___ heeft honger. (The man eats bread. He is hungry.)
For 'the man', you use 'Hij'.
De nieuwe directeur is erg ambitieus. ___ heeft grote plannen voor het bedrijf.
Because 'directeur' (director) is masculine, the pronoun 'hij' (he) is used.
Mijn broer is al tien jaar IT-specialist. ___ weet veel van computers.
Since 'broer' (brother) is a singular masculine noun, 'hij' (he) is the correct pronoun.
De zanger trad gisterenavond op in het concertgebouw. ___ was fantastisch!
'De zanger' (the singer) is masculine, therefore 'hij' (he) is the appropriate pronoun.
De buurman helpt ons altijd met klusjes. ___ is erg vriendelijk.
'De buurman' (the neighbor) is masculine, so 'hij' (he) is used.
Mijn oom komt volgende week op bezoek. ___ brengt cadeautjes mee.
As 'oom' (uncle) is a masculine noun, 'hij' (he) is the correct pronoun.
De docent legde de grammaticale regels goed uit. ___ maakte alles duidelijk.
'De docent' (the teacher) refers to a male person in this context, so 'hij' (he) is used.
Which sentence correctly uses 'hij' in a formal context?
'Hij' is the subject pronoun. In this sentence, 'hij' is performing the action of giving the presentation, making it the correct usage.
In which situation would 'hij' be used to refer to a male person previously mentioned?
'Hij' functions as a subject pronoun, referring back to 'de leraar' (the teacher) who is performing the action of starting the lesson.
Which of the following is the most appropriate way to replace 'de burgemeester' with a pronoun when he is the subject of the sentence?
When 'de burgemeester' (the mayor) is the subject of the sentence, 'hij' is the correct subject pronoun to use.
The sentence 'Hij gaf hem het boek' correctly uses 'hij' as the direct object.
In this sentence, 'hij' is the subject (who gave) and 'hem' is the direct object (to whom it was given). 'Hij' is never a direct object.
In Dutch, 'hij' can be used to refer to a male animal.
Yes, 'hij' can refer to male animals in Dutch, similar to 'he' in English when referring to a male animal.
It is always appropriate to use 'hij' when referring to any male person, regardless of formality.
While 'hij' is generally used for male persons, in very formal situations or when addressing someone directly with respect, 'u' (you, formal) might be preferred, especially if not referring to them in the third person.
/ 18 correct
Perfect score!
Pronouncing 'hij'
The 'h' in hij is like the 'h' in house. The 'ij' sound is a diphthong, similar to the 'ay' in my or the 'eye' in eye. Practice saying it aloud.
Basic sentence structure with 'hij'
In Dutch, the basic sentence structure is similar to English: Subject + Verb + Object. So, Hij eet means 'He eats.'
Don't confuse 'hij' with 'zij'
A common mistake for beginners is to confuse hij (he) with zij (she). Pay close attention to the starting sound.
Contractions with 'hij'
Dutch doesn't typically use contractions like 'he's' (he is). You will always say hij is (he is) as two separate words.
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