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### "You Only Have To..."

To express a **restrictive obligation**—meaning you *only* have to do a minimal action—use the verb **hoeven**. Combine it with a restrictive phrase like **alleen maar** (only / just) or the slightly more formal **slechts** (merely / only).

Always include **te** right before the infinitive verb at the end of the clause.

**Pattern:** **hoeven** + **alleen maar** / **slechts** + **te** + infinitive

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### Using Separable Verbs

When using a separable verb (like *inloggen* or *opladen*), **te** splits the verb, sitting right between the prefix and the base verb. This creates a three-word cluster at the end of the sentence (e.g., *in te loggen*).

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Restrictive obligation (hoeven alleen maar 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
machine / kiosk	de automaat
only / merely (just, no more than)	slechts
You only need to turn on the machine.	Je hoeft de automaat slechts aan te zetten.
touchscreen	het touchscreen
He only has to touch the touchscreen.	Hij hoeft alleen maar het touchscreen aan te raken.
This machine has a large touchscreen.	Deze automaat heeft een groot touchscreen.
to log in	inloggen
You only need to log in here.	Je hoeft hier alleen maar in te loggen.
account	het account
You can log in with your new account.	Je kunt inloggen met je nieuwe account.
As soon as the account works, you only have to wait.	Zodra het account werkt, hoef je slechts te wachten.
wireless	draadloos
The system is completely wireless.	Het systeem is helemaal draadloos.
to update	updaten
You only need to update the robot.	Je hoeft de robot alleen maar te updaten.
I still have to update the software today.	Ik moet de software vandaag nog updaten.
Wi-Fi	de wifi
to connect (to link, join)	verbinden
You only need to connect the device to the Wi-Fi.	Je hoeft het apparaat slechts met de wifi te verbinden.
Without Wi-Fi, I cannot log in at all.	Zonder wifi kan ik helemaal niet inloggen.
to charge	opladen
You only have to charge the battery.	Je hoeft de batterij alleen maar op te laden.
This device charges very quickly.	Dit apparaat laadt heel snel op.
You only have to connect the device wirelessly.	Jij hoeft het apparaat alleen maar draadloos te verbinden.