Breakdown of Wij moeten dat netwerk steeds sneller uitbreiden.
wij
we
snel
fast
dat
that (het-words)
moeten
to have to, must
steeds
again and again, constantly / still (in 'nog steeds')
uitbreiden
to expand
het netwerk
the network
Questions & Answers about Wij moeten dat netwerk steeds sneller uitbreiden.
How does steeds sneller translate to 'faster and faster'?
The word steeds usually means 'always' or 'constantly', but when you combine it with a comparative adjective like sneller (faster), it means 'increasingly' or 'more and more'. So steeds sneller literally means 'constantly faster', which we naturally express as 'faster and faster' in English.
Why is uitbreiden placed at the very end of the sentence?
Because the sentence uses the modal verb moeten (must). In Dutch, a conjugated modal verb in the second position pushes the main action verb (uitbreiden) all the way to the end of the clause in its full infinitive form.
Is uitbreiden a separable verb?
Yes, it is a separable verb formed from uit (out) and breiden (to extend). If it were the main conjugated verb, it would split apart, as in: wij breiden het netwerk uit. However, because the modal verb moeten pushes it to the end as a full infinitive, the prefix and the verb stay glued together as a single word.
Why do we say dat netwerk instead of die netwerk?
The word netwerk is a neuter noun, meaning it is an het-word (het netwerk). When pointing to a specific het-word, you must use the demonstrative pronouns dat (that) or dit (this). You only use die or deze for de-words and plural nouns.
Learn Wij moeten dat netwerk steeds sneller uitbreiden and more in Dutch
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free