Breakdown of De jongen beweerde dat het boekje tegenviel.
de jongen
the boy
het boek
the book
dat
that (conjunction)
beweren
to claim
Questions & Answers about De jongen beweerde dat het boekje tegenviel.
Why is the verb tegenviel in the past tense here?
This is an example of how tenses shift in reported speech. Because the main verb beweerde (claimed) is in the past tense, the verb in the dat-clause must also shift to the past tense. His original words were likely present tense: 'Het boekje valt tegen' (The little book is disappointing).
Why is tegenviel written as a single word at the end of the sentence?
The verb here is the separable verb tegenvallen. In a standard main clause, the prefix and verb separate (like: Het boekje viel tegen). But because dat introduces a subordinate clause, the verb gets pushed to the very end of the sentence. When a separable verb goes to the end of a clause like this, the prefix and verb reunite into one word.
What does tegenvallen literally mean?
It literally translates to 'to fall against.' In Dutch, this is the standard way to say something is disappointing or turned out worse than expected. If something turns out better than expected, you would use its opposite: meevallen.
What is the infinitive of beweerde?
The infinitive is beweren, which means to claim, assert, or state. It is a regular weak verb, so it simply adds -de in the simple past for a singular subject.