Breakdown of Wij zorgen ervoor dat we de jongen niet verwennen.
de jongen
the boy
niet
not
wij
we
we
we (unstressed form of wij)
zorgen voor
to take care of
dat
that (conjunction)
er
it (in 'er ... op/mee', pronominal adverb)
verwennen
to spoil (a child)
ervoor
for it; in front of it
Questions & Answers about Wij zorgen ervoor dat we de jongen niet verwennen.
Why do we use ervoor instead of just voor before the dat clause?
The verb is zorgen voor (to ensure). In Dutch, you cannot put a preposition like voor directly in front of dat. Instead, the preposition combines with er to form ervoor. This creates a placeholder that points forward to the dat clause.
Why is the verb verwennen all the way at the end of the sentence?
The word dat (that) introduces a subordinate clause. A strict rule in Dutch grammar is that in a subordinate clause, the conjugated verb (here, verwennen) is pushed to the very end of that clause.
Why is niet placed after de jongen?
When you use a specific direct object (like de jongen - the boy), the word niet must come after it. It goes as close to the end of the clause as possible, resting right before the verb at the end.
Does zorgen voor always mean "to ensure"?
It very commonly means "to take care of" or "to look after", like in Ik zorg voor de hond (I take care of the dog). In this sentence, because it points to an entire action in the dat clause, "to ensure" or "to make sure" is the most natural translation.
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