Breakdown of Ik wil jou graag bedanken.
ik
I
willen
to want
graag
gladly
jou
you (singular object)
bedanken
to thank
Questions & Answers about Ik wil jou graag bedanken.
Why does this sentence use jou instead of je?
Both mean 'you' as an object pronoun. Jou is the stressed form. Using jou instead of the unstressed je puts special emphasis on the person you are thanking, making it sound more sincere or targeted: I want to thank you.
The translation says 'I want to', but what does graag mean here?
Graag means 'gladly' or 'with pleasure'. When you put wil (want) and graag together, it usually means 'would like to'. The Dutch sentence literally translates to 'I want you gladly to thank', which is a polite and friendly way to express that you want to do something.
Why is the verb bedanken at the very end of the sentence?
This is a common Dutch word order rule. When you use a helper verb like wil (want), it takes the normal verb spot right after the subject. The main action verb (bedanken) then gets pushed all the way to the end of the sentence in its full dictionary form.
How is bedanken different from just saying dank je wel?
Dank je wel is a set phrase you say directly to someone, just like saying 'Thank you!' in English. Bedanken is the actual verb 'to thank'. You use it when describing the action of thanking someone, rather than just exclaiming it.
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