Breakdown of De ex aan wie ik denk, breekt mijn hart.
ik
I
wie
who
mijn
my
aan
on / at (attached to, edge)
breken
to break
het hart
the heart
de ex
the ex
denken aan
to think of / about
Questions & Answers about De ex aan wie ik denk, breekt mijn hart.
Why is it aan wie here instead of just die?
Die is the standard word for "who" or "that" in a relative clause (for example: de ex die ik zie - the ex that I see). However, when you need to use a preposition (like aan, met, or voor) and you are referring to a person, you must switch to using [preposition] + wie.
The English translation says "of whom", so why does the Dutch use aan?
In Dutch, the verb denken (to think) always pairs with the preposition aan when you mean "thinking of" or "thinking about" someone or something. Because the relative clause uses this verb, it must use its matching preposition.
Could I say waaraan ik denk instead of aan wie ik denk?
No, because de ex is a person. When combining a preposition with a relative pronoun, you use [preposition] + wie for people. You only use the "waar-word" combination (waaraan) when referring to objects, concepts, or animals.
Why does the verb breekt come right after the comma?
The entire phrase De ex aan wie ik denk (The ex of whom I am thinking) acts as the subject of the main sentence. In a standard Dutch main clause, the verb must be in the second position. Because that entire long subject counts as position 1, the verb breekt correctly takes position 2.
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