What are Wederkerige Voornaamwoorden?
In Dutch, we have special words that show an action is done between two people or groups. These are called ‘wederkerige voornaamwoorden’, and the most common one is ‘elkaar’. It means ‘each other’.
When do we use ‘elkaar’?
We use ‘elkaar’ when two or more people perform the same action towards one another. For example:
- Ze helpen elkaar. (They help each other.)
- Wij zien elkaar vandaag. (We see each other today.)
- Jullie moeten elkaar respecteren. (You must respect each other.)
How to form sentences with ‘elkaar’
To create a sentence with ‘elkaar’, follow these simple steps:
- Choose the subject (the people who are doing the action).
- Use a verb that shows an action.
- Add ‘elkaar’ to show that the action goes both ways.
Examples
Here are more examples:
- Hij en zij begrijpen elkaar. (He and she understand each other.)
- De kinderen spelen met elkaar. (The children play with each other.)
- Wij steunen elkaar altijd. (We always support each other.)
Great job! Now you know how to use ‘elkaar’ in sentences!