Breakdown of Je moet dat riempje dragen.
dragen
to wear
dat
that (het-words)
moeten
to have to, must
je
you (unstressed form of jij)
de riem
the belt
Questions & Answers about Je moet dat riempje dragen.
Why does 'riempje' use the suffix '-pje' instead of just '-je'?
The base word is riem (belt). In Dutch, when a noun ends in -m, we usually add -pje to make the diminutive. The extra 'p' makes the transition between the 'm' and 'j' sounds much easier to pronounce.
Why do we use 'dat' instead of 'die' for 'that little belt'?
The original word is de riem, so normally you would say die riem (that belt). However, every single diminutive word in Dutch is a het word (het riempje). Because it is now a het word, you must use dat for 'that' instead of die.
Why is the verb 'dragen' placed at the very end of the sentence?
This sentence uses the modal verb moeten (must/have to), conjugated here as moet. When you use a modal verb, it takes the second position in the sentence, and the main action verb (the full infinitive dragen) gets pushed to the very end.
Does 'dragen' only mean 'to wear'?
No, dragen translates to both 'to wear' (like clothing or a belt) and 'to carry' (like a bag or a heavy box). You can usually tell which one is meant based on the context of the sentence.
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