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### Passive Potential with 'zijn'

In Dutch, to express that something "can be done," you often don't need the word **kunnen** (can). Instead, you can use the verb **zijn** (to be) followed by **te** and an infinitive verb.

For example, **is te restaureren** translates to "can be restored" or "is restorable."

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This structure is very frequently combined with adjectives like **makkelijk** (easy) or **goed** (good) to describe how feasible a task is.

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### Passive Potential with 'vallen'

Another very common, uniquely Dutch way to express this same idea is using the verb **vallen** (literally "to fall"). Like *zijn*, **vallen** + **te** + infinitive translates to "can be [verb]ed."

You will often see this paired with the dummy subject **er** (there) or words like **niets** (nothing).

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The *vallen te* structure is especially popular in negative sentences to show that something is impossible to salvage or do.

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### Evaluating the Feasibility of a Task

When taking on a project, whether restoring antiques or doing chores, you can combine these structures with vocabulary like **de klus** (the job or chore) and **haalbaar** (feasible).

Note the common phrase **goed te doen**, which means something is highly doable or manageable.

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Possibility and capability (zijn / vallen te)

adjective

adverb

conjunction

determiner

determiner/pronoun

interjection

noun

numeral

particle

preposition

pronoun

sentence

verb

Singular pronouns and 'to be' (ik ben, hij is)

The formal 'you' (u bent)

Definite articles (de, het)

Plural pronouns and 'to be' (wij zijn)

The verb 'to have' (hebben)

Basic word order

Numbers 1 to 10 (een, twee, drie)

Verb stems and the 'I' form (ik werk)

Long vowels in verb stems (maken, ik maak)

Short vowels in verb stems (zitten, ik zit)

Present tense singular (-t)

Present tense plural (-en)

Yes/no questions

Question words (wie, wat, waar)

Noun negation (geen)

Plural nouns (-en)

Plural nouns (-s)

Diminutives (-je)

Adjective modifiers (heel, erg, te)

Verb negation (niet)

Singular possessives (mijn, jouw, zijn, haar)

Plural and formal possessives (ons/onze, jullie, hun, uw)

This and these (deze, dit)

That and those (die, dat)

Asking which (welke, welk)

Numbers 11 to 20 (elf, twaalf, dertien...)

Tens and compound numbers (dertig, veertig...)

Ordinal numbers 1st to 10th (eerste, tweede...)

Telling time: hours and half hours (uur, half)

Telling time: quarters (kwart over, kwart voor)

Question words (hoeveel, waarom)

Irregular verbs (doen, gaan, staan, zien, komen)

Adjective endings (+e)

Adjectives with 'het' words

Prepositions of place (uit, bij)

Subject-verb inversion

Time before place

Modal verbs (willen, kunnen)

Modal verbs (moeten, mogen)

The verb bracket

Separable prefix verbs

The imperative mood (kom, luister)

Singular object pronouns (mij, jou, hem, haar)

Plural and formal object pronouns (ons, jullie, hen, u)

Reflexive verbs and pronouns (zich, me, je)

Position of negation (niet)

The present perfect tense with regular verbs (hebben gewerkt)

The present perfect tense with motion verbs (zijn gegaan)

Irregular past participles (gezien, gedaan)

The present continuous (zijn aan het)

There is / there are (er is, er zijn)

Unstressed there (er)

And, but, or (en, maar, of)

Because (want)

Months of the year

Prepositions of time (om, van ... tot)

Greetings and politeness

Conversational glue

Prepositions with days (op)

Prepositions with seasons (in)

Genitive of time ('s morgens, 's nachts)

Adverbs of frequency (altijd, vaak)

The future tense (gaan)

The future tense (zullen)

Separable verbs with auxiliary verbs

Apostrophe plurals ('-s)

Irregular plurals (-eren)

Complex diminutives (-pje, -etje, -kje)

Possessive 's (Jan's, vaders)

Indefinite pronouns (iets, niemand, alles)

Indefinite subject pronoun (je)

Reciprocal pronoun (elkaar)

Comparative adjectives (-er dan)

Comparatives with spelling change (-der)

Superlative adjectives (-st)

Irregular comparisons (beter, meer, minder)

Expressing preference (graag, liever, het liefst)

Equality comparisons (even ... als)

Fixed prepositions

That clauses (dat)

Because clauses (omdat)

If and when clauses (als)

Inversion after clauses

Separable verbs in clauses

Negation in clauses (niet)

Past tense of to be (was / waren)

Past tense of to have (had / hadden)

Question	Answer
antique	antiek
to restore	restaureren
Can this antique cabinet still be restored?	Is deze antieke kast nog te restaureren?
complicated	ingewikkeld
the chore/the job	de klus
the scratch	de kras
It is a complicated job, because the scratches are deep.	Het is een ingewikkelde klus, want de krassen zijn diep.
the technique	de techniek
That complicated technique is easy to learn.	Die ingewikkelde techniek is makkelijk te leren.
rare	zeldzaam
the condition/state	de staat
The antique table is rare, but the condition is bad.	De antieke tafel is zeldzaam, maar de staat is slecht.
to preserve/to keep	behouden
There is nothing rare to preserve.	Er valt niets zeldzaams te behouden.
Due to the bad condition, the painting cannot be saved.	Door de slechte staat valt het schilderij niet te redden.
With this technique, the scratches can be removed.	Met deze techniek zijn de krassen te verwijderen.
The owner this job is for wants to keep everything.	De eigenaar voor wie deze klus is, wil alles behouden.
feasible	haalbaar
This job is doable, and the work is feasible.	Deze klus is goed te doen, en het werk is haalbaar.
Is this project feasible, or can it not be saved?	Is dit project haalbaar, of valt het niet te redden?
It is a complicated job, but the cabinet can be restored.	Het is een ingewikkelde klus, maar de kast valt te restaureren.
to be able to	in staat zijn om
She is able to do the job.	Zij is in staat om de klus te klaren.
We are able to restore the antique.	Wij zijn in staat om het antiek te restaureren.

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