Breakdown of Wij mediteren om ons te focussen en de geest leeg te maken.
en
and
wij
we
maken
to make
leeg
empty
te
to (infinitive marker)
om
in order to
zich focussen
to focus oneself
mediteren
to meditate
de geest
the mind
Questions & Answers about Wij mediteren om ons te focussen en de geest leeg te maken.
Why do we use ons here, and why does it go right after om?
The Dutch verb for "to focus" is reflexive: zich focussen. Because the main subject doing the action is Wij (we), the reflexive pronoun must match it, becoming ons. In an om ... te (in order to) clause, pronouns like ons are placed immediately after om.
Why is it leeg te maken instead of te leegmaken?
Leegmaken (to empty) is a separable verb. When a separable verb is used in a te + infinitive construction, the word te acts as a wedge, squeezing directly between the prefix (leeg) and the base verb (maken).
Why isn't there a second om before de geest leeg te maken?
When you connect two infinitive actions with en (and), you do not need to repeat om. The first om applies to both actions. However, you still need to put te before the second verb.
Doesn't de geest usually mean "the ghost"?
It can! Geest is a versatile word that can mean "ghost", "spirit", or "mind" depending on the context. When talking about meditation or psychology, it almost always refers to the mind.
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