This is the 15th most frequent Dutch word.
ze
"They" or "she" (depending on context).
In this sentence, 'ze' is a personal pronoun used to refer to a female subject, equivalent to 'she' in English.
Ze leest een boek in de tuin.
She is reading a book in the garden.
Here, 'ze' in its pronunciation can resemble 'zei', which is a verb form meaning 'said'. Be cautious about context to differentiate.
Wat zei je? Ik kon het niet horen.
What did you say? I couldn't hear it.
'Ze' in this usage is a pronoun referring to an unspecified object (the apples), equivalent to 'them' in English.