If you’ve been learning Dutch for a while, you’ve probably come across words like waarmee, waarvan, daarover, daarmee… At first they look puzzling, but here’s the good news: they follow a clear system. Once you understand the logic, you’ll be able to use dozens of them with confidence and sound much more natural in conversations.
In grammar terms, these little combinations are called pronominal adverbs (or voornaamwoordelijke bijwoorden in Dutch). That may sound intimidating, but the idea is simple: instead of saying met dat (“with that”), Dutch glues the words together into daarmee. The same happens in questions: instead of met wat (“with what”), you get waarmee.
In this guide we’ll cover:
- What waar- and daar-words are.
- How to use them in questions and answers.
- Why Dutch uses them differently from English.
- How spoken Dutch handles them in daily life.
By the end, you’ll see that these little words don’t need to be scary at all. They’re your shortcut to fluent, idiomatic Dutch.
Dutch waar and daar words: the core idea
So why do these words exist at all? In Dutch, many verbs naturally come with a preposition:
- denken aan (to think of)
- praten over (to talk about)
- rekenen op (to count on)
- wachten op (to wait for)
When you want to ask a question about that prepositional object, or refer back to it, Dutch doesn’t like leaving the preposition dangling at the end the way English does (“What are you waiting for?”). Instead, it neatly combines the preposition with waar- (for questions) or daar- (for answers).
The system is straightforward:
- Dutch: waar- + preposition → English: what + preposition → used in questions
Example: Waarmee reis je? → With what are you traveling?
Dutch: daar- + preposition → English: that + preposition → used in answers or when referring back
Example: Daarmee reis ik. → I’m traveling with that.
Therefore, if you know the common prepositions (met, over, van, naar, op, aan…), you can instantly form dozens of these words. That’s why mastering waar-/daar-words is such a practical shortcut: it helps you ask and answer questions smoothly, without falling into English-style phrasing.
Waar-words: Asking Questions
You use waar-words when asking about things, ideas, or situations. You never use them to ask about people!
Common forms:
- waarmee (with what)
- waarover (about what)
- waarvan (of/from what)
- waarnaar (to what)
Examples:
- Waarmee kan ik je helpen? (What can I help you with?)
- Waarover praten ze? (What are they talking about?)
- Waarvan hou je? (What do you like?)
Things vs. People: The Key Difference
Dutch makes a clear distinction:
- If your question is about a thing, use waar- + preposition.
Example: Waarover gaat dit boek? (What is this book about?) - If your question is about a person, you do not use a waar-word. Instead, you use [preposition] + wie.
Example: Over wie gaat dit boek? (Who is this book about?)
This rule applies across the board:
- Waarmee schrijf je? (With what do you write?) → Met een pen.
- Met wie schrijf je? (With whom are you writing?) → Met mijn vriendin.
Tip: If the answer is a thing, use a waar-word. If the answer is a person, use preposition + wie.
Daar-words: Giving Answers
Once you can ask a question with a waar-word, you need to be able to answer it. That’s where daar-words come in. They let you refer back to a thing, idea, or situation that has already been mentioned.
Common forms:
- daarmee (with that)
- daarover (about that)
- daarvan (of/from that)
- daarnaar (to that)
Examples:
- Waarmee reis je? – Daarmee reis ik. (What are you traveling with? – I’m traveling with that.)
- Waarover praten ze? – Daarover praten ze vaak. (What are they talking about? – They often talk about that.)
- Ik heb een nieuwe fiets. Daar ben ik blij mee. (I have a new bike. I’m happy with that.)
Things vs. People in Answers
Just like with questions, daar-words are only for things.
- Thing → Ik heb een fiets. Daar ben ik blij mee. (I have a bike. I’m happy with that.)
- Person → Ik heb een nieuwe collega. Ik ben blij met hem/haar. (I have a new colleague. I’m happy with him/her.)
Rule of thumb: For things → daar- + preposition. For people → preposition + pronoun (met hem, met haar, over hen…).
Spoken vs. Written Dutch: Splitting the Word
Here’s something that often surprises learners: in spoken Dutch, waar-/daar-words are frequently “split.” This isn’t random. It happens because spoken Dutch prefers to push the preposition to the end of the sentence.
- Written / formal: Ik ben blij daarmee.
- Spoken / everyday: Daar ben ik blij mee.
The same pattern shows up in questions:
- Written / formal: Waarvoor ben je bang?
- Spoken / everyday: Waar ben je bang voor?
Other common spoken forms:
- Waar kijk je naar? (What are you looking at?)
- Daar heb ik zin in. (I feel like that / I’m in the mood for that.)
Tip: Both versions are correct. Ik ben blij daarmee is perfectly standard Dutch, but in daily life it sounds a bit stiff. For exams and formal writing, keep the words together. In conversation, it’s natural to split them.
Waar-/Daar-words vs. English
By now you’ve seen how Dutch neatly combines prepositions with waar- and daar-. For many learners, the main challenge is that English does the opposite: instead of combining, it usually keeps the preposition at the end of the sentence.
Compare:
- English: What are you talking about?
- Dutch: Waarover spreek je? (lit. “Where-about speak you?”)
- English: I’m talking about that.
- Dutch: Ik spreek daarover. (lit. “I speak there-about.”)
So while Dutch bundles the preposition into one word, English leaves it hanging at the end. That’s why these forms might feel unusual at first. They flip the English pattern inside out.
In short:
- For questions about things → waar + preposition.
- For answers about things → daar + preposition.
Once you train yourself to “bundle” the preposition into these forms, your Dutch will sound much smoother.
Quick Reference: Asking and Answering
Here’s a compact overview to keep in mind:
| Preposition | Question (waar-) | Answer (daar-) | Example |
| met | waarmee | daarmee | Waarmee reis je? – Daarmee reis ik. |
| over | waarover | daarover | Waarover praat hij? – Daarover praat hij graag. |
| van | waarvan | daarvan | Waarvan hou je? – Daarvan hou ik niet. |
| naar | waarnaar | daarnaar | Waarnaar kijk je? – Daarnaar kijk ik ook. |
Reminder: waar- for questions, daar- for answers.
Summary & Final Thoughts
Waar- and daar-words may look intimidating at first, but their logic is straightforward once you see the pattern. Use waar-words in questions about things (Waarmee reis je? – “What are you traveling with?”) and daar-words in answers or references (Daarmee reis ik – “I’m traveling with that”). When you’re asking about or referring to people, switch to forms like met wie, over wie, or van wie.
In spoken Dutch, you’ll notice that these words are often “split,” as in Daar ben ik blij mee, while in formal writing they usually stay together, like Ik ben blij daarmee. Both are correct; it’s simply a matter of register.
One of the biggest hurdles for learners comes from English, which does the opposite: it leaves the preposition at the end of the sentence (What are you talking about?). Dutch, on the other hand, bundles it into a compact waar- or daar-form (Waarover spreek je? / Ik spreek daarover).
Mastering this system will give your Dutch a serious fluency boost. At first, it may feel like a lot of little words to memorize, but the principle is always the same: waar- for questions, daar- for answers. Once you internalize that, you’ll start hearing these forms everywhere. Soon enough, you’ll be using them naturally yourself.
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