Breakdown of De staking in de industrie kon niet worden toegestaan.
niet
not
in
in
kunnen
can
worden
to become
de staking
the strike
de industrie
the industry
toestaan
to permit
Questions & Answers about De staking in de industrie kon niet worden toegestaan.
Why do we use worden here instead of werd, since the sentence is in the past tense?
The past tense is already shown by the modal verb kon (could). Because kon is a modal verb, the next verb in the sentence must be in its infinitive form. So, just like in English (could be permitted), we use the infinitive worden instead of the past tense werd.
Why are both worden and toegestaan clustered at the very end of the sentence?
In Dutch main clauses, the conjugated verb (kon) takes the second position, and all other verbs are pushed to the end. When you combine a modal verb with a passive construction, the infinitive (worden) and the past participle (toegestaan) gather at the end. The order worden toegestaan is the most common and natural choice here.
How is the word toegestaan formed?
It is the past participle of the separable verb toestaan (to permit or to allow). When forming the past participle of a separable verb, the standard ge- prefix is squeezed right between the separable prefix (toe) and the verb root (staan), resulting in toe-ge-staan.
Could I translate this idea using mocht (was allowed)?
Yes! A more conversational, active way to say this is De staking mocht niet (The strike was not allowed). However, this lesson focuses on formal passive sentences, so we use kon (could) combined with worden toegestaan (be permitted) to match the exact meaning and tone of the original sentence.
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