Questions & Answers about Het is belangrijk dat wij de taken verdelen.
The lesson is about separable verbs, but is verdelen separable?
No, verdelen (to divide) is an inseparable verb. Verbs starting with unstressed prefixes like ver-, be-, ge-, and ont- are never separable. Because it is in a subordinate clause (introduced by dat), the entire verb simply moves to the end of the sentence as one complete word: dat wij de taken verdelen.
Why is the verb verdelen at the very end?
The word dat (that) introduces a subordinate clause. In Dutch subordinate clauses, all verbs are pushed to the end. If you said this as a normal main clause without dat, the verb would sit in the normal second position: Wij verdelen de taken (We divide the tasks).
Why does the sentence use wij instead of we?
Wij is the stressed form of the pronoun. Using it adds a little emphasis, suggesting it is important that we (specifically us, rather than someone else) divide the tasks. If you don't need that special emphasis, we is perfectly fine and often sounds more natural in everyday speech.
Does taken mean the same thing as the English word "taken"?
No, this is a false friend! Taken is the plural of the noun de taak, which means "the task" or "the chore". While it looks exactly like the English verb, it is pronounced differently (with a long Dutch "a" sound) and has no relation to taking something.