Breakdown of De student vraagt bij de balie of hij korting krijgt.
hij
he / it (referring to a 'de'-word)
de student
the student
bij
at / near / by
vragen
to ask
krijgen
to get (receive)
de balie
the counter
of
if / whether
de korting
the discount
Questions & Answers about De student vraagt bij de balie of hij korting krijgt.
Why is the verb krijgt at the very end of the sentence?
The word of (if/whether) introduces an indirect question. This forms a subordinate (dependent) clause. In Dutch, these clauses always push the working verb (krijgt) to the very end of the sentence.
Wait, doesn't of mean "or"?
It often does! But when connecting a main sentence to a yes/no question, of means "if" or "whether". Notice a key difference: when of means "if", it pushes the verb to the end, but when it means "or", the word order stays normal.
Why do we say bij de balie for "at the counter"?
Bij is a very common preposition for getting service "at" a desk, counter, or reception. You might also hear aan de balie, which means the same thing but emphasizes physically standing right up against the desk.
Is the word korting (discount) related to the word kort (short)?
Yes! A korting literally "shortens" the price. It is built from the adjective kort (short), combined with the -ing ending to turn it into a noun.
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