Word
De schoonmaker ververst het laken zonder dat u het vraagt.
Meaning
The cleaner changes the sheet without you asking.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Breakdown of De schoonmaker ververst het laken zonder dat u het vraagt.
u
you (formal)
het
it
vragen
to ask
zonder dat
without (conjunction)
Questions & Answers about De schoonmaker ververst het laken zonder dat u het vraagt.
How does zonder dat affect the word order here?
Because zonder dat (without) is a subordinating conjunction, it introduces a dependent clause. In a Dutch dependent clause, the conjugated verb is pushed to the very end. That is why the sentence ends with u het vraagt instead of u vraagt het.
Could I say zonder te vragen instead of zonder dat u het vraagt?
Not in this sentence, because there are two different subjects. The cleaner (de schoonmaker) changes the sheet, but you (u) are the one who would ask. When two different people perform the actions, you must use zonder dat followed by a full clause. You use zonder te plus an infinitive only when the subject is the same for both actions.
Why is the verb ververst used here instead of verandert for changes?
The verb veranderen means to alter something so that it becomes different. Verversen comes from the word vers (fresh) and means to replace something with a clean or new supply of the same thing. You use verversen for things like bed sheets, water, or oil.
Why do we need the second het in u het vraagt?