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70
UNIT TEN
The adverb er
Introduction
In Unit 14 of Basic Dutch we discussed three functions of the adverb er:
as the introduction of an indefinite subject (with the verb zijn this is called
the existential er), as an indicator of place (locative er), and, in combination
with a cardinal number, as an indicator of quantity (quantitative er).
Examples:
Er zit een oude man in het park. Hij zit er al een uur. Hij kijkt naar
de zwanen in de vijver. Hoeveel zwanen zwemmen er in de vijver? Ik
zie er drie.
An old man is sitting in the park. He’s been sitting there for an hour.
He’s looking at the swans in the pond. How many swans are swimming
in the pond? I see three of them.
In the first sentence, een oude man is an indefinite subject, introduced
by er. In the second sentence, er replaces in het park. In the sentence
Hoeveel zwanen zwemmen er in de vijver?, hoeveel zwanen is an
indefinite subject introduced by a question word. In the last sentence,
Ik zie er drie, the adverb er is used as an indicator of quantity with the
cardinal number drie. In this chapter, we introduce two more functions
of er: as a pronominal adverb in combination with a preposition and in
passive sentences.
The function of er as a pronominal adverb with a
preposition
In combination with a preposition, er can refer to an object or a concept
mentioned in a previous sentence. See the following four examples:
aan Denk je aan de toekomst? Ja, ik denk eraan.
Do you think about the future? Yes, I think about it.