met

With

Level 1

Met is the Dutch word for 'with'. It is used for being with people, using tools, and traveling by vehicle.

How It Works

The preposition met is one of the most common words in Dutch. Its primary functions include:

  • Accompaniment: Being together with someone. Example: met mijn vriend (with my friend).
  • Instrument: The tool used for an action. Example: met een pen (with a pen).
  • Transport: Unlike English 'by train', Dutch uses met + definite article. Example: met de trein.
  • Description: Indicating features or accessories. Example: de vrouw met de bril (the woman with the glasses).
  • Fixed Combinations: Many verbs and adjectives require met. Example: blij met (happy with) or stoppen met (to stop with).
  • Manner: How something is done. Example: met plezier (with pleasure).
  • Holidays: Used for specific holiday periods. Example: met Kerst (at/during Christmas).

Important Morphological Change:
When you want to say 'with it' or 'with that', you cannot say 'met het' or 'met dat'. Instead, you must use a pronominal adverb. The word met changes to its adverbial form -mee and attaches to a locative word like er, daar, or waar (e.g., ermee, daarmee, waarmee).

Additionally, this same form mee- appears as a prefix in separable verbs like meegaan (to go along) or meenemen (to take along).

Examples (6)

  1. Ik ga met mijn zus naar de stad.

    I am going to the city with my sister.

    Word by Word: I go with my sister to the city.

    Here 'met' shows accompaniment (being with a person).

  2. Hij schrijft met een blauwe pen.

    He writes with a blue pen.

    Word by Word: He writes with a blue pen.

    Here 'met' indicates the instrument or tool being used.

  3. Wij gaan altijd met de fiets naar school.

    We always go to school by bike.

    Word by Word: We go always with the bike to school.

    For transport, Dutch uses 'met' followed by a definite article (de/het).

  4. De man met de rode hoed loopt daar.

    The man with the red hat is walking there.

    Word by Word: The man with the red hat walks there.

    Use 'met' to describe features, characteristics, or accessories of a person or object.

  5. Ik ben erg blij met mijn nieuwe baan.

    I am very happy with my new job.

    Word by Word: I am very happy with my new job.

    Certain adjectives, like 'blij', are always followed by 'met' (fixed prepositions).

  6. Ik heb een mes nodig; wat wil je ermee doen?

    I need a knife; what do you want to do with it?

    Word by Word: I have a knife needed; what want you there-with do?

    'Ermee' is the combination of 'er' + 'met'. You cannot say 'met het'.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'met' without an article for transport.

    Ik ga met trein.
    Ik ga met de trein.

    In English, we say 'by train', but in Dutch, you must include the article: 'met de trein' or 'met de bus'.

  • Saying 'met het' or 'met dat' for inanimate objects.

    Ik schrijf met het.
    Ik schrijf ermee.

    When referring to an object, 'met' must change to 'mee' and combine with 'er', 'daar', or 'hier'.

  • Ending a sentence with the word 'met'.

    Wie ga je met?
    Met wie ga je?

    With the question word 'wie', 'met' comes before it: Met wie ga je? 'Wie ga je met?' is not Dutch. 'Mee' is a separate adverb, as in Ga je mee?

How It Connects

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metLevel 1With

Learn This First

To use 'met' effectively, you need to understand how to pair it with nouns using the correct articles and how to use it with object pronouns for accompaniment.

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