Breakdown of Ondanks de tegenstand proberen ze te blijven strijden.
blijven
to stay
proberen
to try
ze
they; she (unstressed form of zij) / them (object)
te
to (infinitive marker)
ondanks
despite
strijden
to battle
de tegenstand
the opposition
Questions & Answers about Ondanks de tegenstand proberen ze te blijven strijden.
How does "ondanks" affect the word order in this sentence?
The word ondanks (despite) is a preposition, so the phrase ondanks de tegenstand takes up the entire first position in the sentence. Because Dutch follows the verb-second (V2) rule, the main verb proberen must come in the second position, pushing the subject ze after the verb (inversion).
Why do we say "te blijven strijden" to mean "to keep battling"?
The verb blijven literally means "to stay" or "to remain." However, when you pair blijven with another infinitive like strijden, it translates to "to keep doing" that action. English usually uses "keep + -ing" for this, but Dutch uses blijven + infinitive.
Why is there a "te" before the verb cluster "blijven strijden"?
The main verb in this clause is proberen (to try). Just like in English ("to try to do something"), the verb proberen requires the word te before the infinitive it connects to. Because it connects to the double infinitive blijven strijden, the te is placed right before the entire cluster.
Could I use "vechten" instead of "strijden" here?
Yes, both vechten and strijden mean "to fight" or "to battle." However, strijden is often preferred when talking about a more abstract, ideological, or sustained struggle (like fighting for a cause or against political opposition). Vechten is more frequently used for literal, physical fighting.
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