Breakdown of De kat kruipt onder de struik vandaan.
de kat
the cat
onder
under, below
kruipen
to crawl
de struik
the bush
vandaan
from (used with waar, daar, hier)
Questions & Answers about De kat kruipt onder de struik vandaan.
Why does this sentence use onder ... vandaan instead of just translating 'from under' literally?
To show movement away from a location, Dutch uses a circumposition (a two-part preposition that wraps around the noun). Onder (under) gives the starting position, and vandaan shows movement away from it. While a literal translation like van onder de struik is sometimes used, onder de struik vandaan is much more natural.
What is the exact function of vandaan here?
Vandaan specifically indicates movement away from a place or an origin. You probably remember it from the basic phrase waar kom je vandaan? (where do you come from?). Here, it acts as the second half of the circumposition to show the cat is leaving its spot under the bush.
Can I put onder and vandaan together before the noun?
No. When you have a noun like de struik, the two parts of the circumposition must wrap around it like a sandwich: [preposition] + [noun] + [direction word]. Saying onder vandaan de struik is grammatically incorrect.
How would I change this sentence to say 'The cat crawls from under it'?
You would use the word er to replace the noun. When you combine er with a preposition and a direction word, the first two merge. So er + onder + vandaan becomes eronder vandaan. The full sentence is: De kat kruipt eronder vandaan.
Could I use the verb sluipen instead of kruipen here?
Yes, depending on the meaning you want! Kruipen means 'to crawl', which focuses on the physical action of moving low to the ground. If you want to emphasize that the cat is moving stealthily or sneaking up on something, De kat sluipt onder de struik vandaan would be perfect.
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