Breakdown of Wij gaan even de logeerkamer schoonmaken.
wij
we
gaan
to go / to go off (of an alarm)
schoonmaken
to clean
even
just, for a moment (particle)
Questions & Answers about Wij gaan even de logeerkamer schoonmaken.
What exactly does the word even do in this sentence?
In this sentence, even is a modal particle that softens the statement. It literally means "briefly" or "for a moment." Adding it makes the task of cleaning the guest room sound quick, casual, and not like a massive chore. It translates well to "just" or "quickly" in English, like saying "We're just going to quickly clean..."
Why is schoonmaken placed at the very end of the sentence?
This happens because of the verb gaan (to go). When you use a helper verb like gaan to talk about an action you are going to do, it pushes the main action verb (schoonmaken) all the way to the end of the sentence in its full dictionary form (the infinitive).
Schoonmaken (to clean) is a separable verb. Why isn't it split into maken ... schoon here?
Separable verbs only split when they are the active, conjugated verb in the sentence (for example: Wij maken de kamer schoon). Because gaan is the conjugated verb here, schoonmaken acts as the infinitive at the end of the sentence and stays completely attached.
How is the word logeerkamer (guest room) formed?
It is a compound noun made from the verb logeren (to stay over as a guest) and the noun kamer (room). A "staying-over room" is exactly what a guest room is!