When a Dutch statement starts with something other than the subject (the person or thing doing the action, like _ik_ or _Sanne_), the verb stays in second place and the subject moves to right after it. So _Ik ga morgen_ becomes _Morgen ga ik_. This swap is called inversion, and it is completely normal, everyday Dutch.
The pattern
The verb is the second part of a Dutch statement. If something other than the subject comes first, the subject goes right after the verb.
- Subject first: _Ik ga morgen naar Utrecht._
- Time word first: _Morgen ga ik naar Utrecht._
- The first part can be a group of words, like _op zaterdag_ or _na het werk_. The verb follows the whole group.
- When _jij_ or _je_ follows the verb, the ending _-t_ drops: _Vanavond kook jij._ See [Werk jij? Where the t disappears](#/lesson/jij-inversion).
- _En_, _maar_, _want_, _ja_ and _nee_ do not count as a first part: _Ja, ik kom._
Examples
| Ik werk vandaag thuis. | I'm working from home today. |
|---|---|
| Vandaag werk ik thuis. | Today I'm working from home. |
| Morgen ga ik naar Utrecht. | Tomorrow I'm going to Utrecht. |
| Om acht uur begint de les. | The lesson starts at eight o'clock. |
| Op zaterdag fietst Sanne naar de markt. | On Saturdays Sanne cycles to the market. |
| In de trein leest Daan een boek. | On the train Daan reads a book. |
| Vanochtend schijnt de zon. | This morning the sun is shining. |
| Bij de bakker koopt Fatima brood. | At the bakery Fatima buys bread. |
| Vanavond kook jij. | Tonight you're cooking. |
Why it works this way
English locks the subject in front of the verb. Dutch locks the verb in second place instead, as you saw in [Verb second: the golden rule](#/lesson/verb-second), and lets almost anything take first place. So when _morgen_ takes the first seat, the subject has to move, and its new seat is right behind the verb. English has a small leftover of this: "Here comes the bus" works the same way.
Starting with a time word is not fancy or old-fashioned. Dutch speakers like to set the scene first, and a time word links one sentence to the next: _Ik werk tot vijf uur. Daarna ga ik naar de sportschool._ You will hear this all day, especially with words like _vandaag_, _morgen_ and _nu_.
If you speak German, this is the rule you already know. If you speak Spanish or Arabic, keep the subject: Dutch cannot drop it after the verb.
Remember: the verb keeps seat two. If anything other than the subject takes seat one, the subject sits down right behind the verb.
Watch out
- Not: _Morgen ik ga naar Utrecht._ Say: _Morgen ga ik naar Utrecht._ (the verb stays second, so _ik_ moves behind it)
- Not: _Op zaterdag Sanne fietst naar de markt._ Say: _Op zaterdag fietst Sanne naar de markt._ (the verb comes right after the whole first part)
- Not: _Vanavond kookt jij._ Say: _Vanavond kook jij._ (the ending _-t_ drops when _jij_ follows the verb)
- Not: _Morgen ga naar de markt._ Say: _Morgen ga ik naar de markt._ (Dutch needs the subject, also after the verb)
Quick check
- Choose: _Vanmiddag ... boodschappen._ (_ik doe_ or _doe ik_)
- Fix the sentence and keep _morgen_ at the start: _Morgen Mei gaat naar de huisarts._
- Fill in the right form of _fietsen_: _Op maandag ... jij naar je werk._
- Fix the sentence and keep _op vrijdag_ at the start. It should mean "On Fridays I eat pizza": _Op vrijdag eet pizza._
Answers
- _doe ik_: _vanmiddag_ is first, so the verb comes next and _ik_ follows.
- _Morgen gaat Mei naar de huisarts._ The verb stays second, so _Mei_ moves behind it.
- _fiets_: _jij_ follows the verb, so the ending _-t_ drops.
- _Op vrijdag eet ik pizza._ Dutch needs the subject, right after the verb.
Use it today
Write three sentences about your week that start with _vandaag_, _morgen_ and _op zaterdag_, for example about work, shopping or sport. Read them aloud and check that the verb comes second each time.