Prepositions of place and time

Prepositions (voorzetsels) are small words that act as the glue in your sentences. On the Schrijven (Writing) exam, the wrong preposition costs a direct deduction in Grammaticale correctheid.

Direct translation from English is your biggest enemy here. While English says "in January" and "at 5 o'clock," Dutch has specific rules that the DUO assessors look for.

1. Prepositions of Time (Tijd)

In Dutch, you must choose between om, op, and in based on how specific the time is:

• om: Use this exclusively for kloktijden (clock times).
  • De afspraak is om 10.30 uur.
• op: Use this for dagen (days) and data (dates).
  • Ik werk op maandag.
  • Het feest is op 12 juli.
• in: Use this for longer periods like maanden (months), jaren (years), and seizoenen (seasons).
  • Ik ga in augustus op vakantie.
  • In de winter is het koud.

2. Prepositions of Place and Movement (Plaats en Richting)

A typical A2 mix-up is naar vs. bij.

• naar: Indicates movement toward a destination or building.
  • Ik ga naar de supermarkt. (I am going to the supermarket.)
  • Hij loopt naar huis. (He walks home.)
• bij: Indicates staying at a location or visiting a person/professional.
  • Ik ben bij de dokter. (I am at the doctor's office.)
  • Kom je bij mij op bezoek? (Are you visiting me?)

3. High-Frequency Exam Phrases

You will likely write messages to a teacher or employer. Memorize these fixed pairs:

• Op school / Op het werk: Always use op for these institutional locations.
• In de stad / In Nederland: Use in for geographical areas.
• Naar huis: Notice that naar huis does not use an article like de or het.