Breakdown of De regering is de wet aan het veranderen.
zijn
to be
veranderen
to change
aan
on / at (attached to, edge)
de regering
the government
Questions & Answers about De regering is de wet aan het veranderen.
What does aan het do in this sentence?
Why does de wet go between is and aan het veranderen?
In the aan het continuous structure, the object of the sentence (de wet) goes right after the conjugated verb (is) and before the aan het block. Dutch pushes the remaining parts of the verb phrase to the end of the clause.
How would I add ergens to say "The government is changing the law somewhere"?
You would place the adverb ergens (somewhere) right after the specific object. The sentence would become: De regering is de wet ergens aan het veranderen.
Is de wet related to the English word "wet"?
No, they are false friends! De wet means "the law". If you want to say something is wet from rain or water, the Dutch word is nat.
Can I use veranderen if something is changing by itself?