Breakdown of De kleermaker vraagt twintig euro om de jurk in te korten.
de jurk
the dress
twintig
twenty
de euro
the euro
vragen
to ask
te
to (infinitive marker)
om
in order to
de kleermaker
the tailor
inkorten
to shorten
Questions & Answers about De kleermaker vraagt twintig euro om de jurk in te korten.
Why is it twintig euro and not twintig euro's?
In Dutch, currencies, units of measurement, and units of time usually remain in the singular form when they are preceded by a specific number. Because we have the exact number twintig (twenty), euro stays singular. You would only use the plural euro's if you were talking about individual coins.
Why is vraagt translated as charges here instead of asks?
While vragen usually means to ask, it is also the standard verb used for asking a price or charging money for a service. You can think of it as the tailor asking for twenty euros.
What is the function of om and te in this sentence?
The combination om ... te followed by an infinitive verb means in order to. Here, it links the action of charging twenty euros to its purpose: in order to shorten the dress.
Why is te placed in the middle of in te korten?
The verb meaning to shorten is inkorten, which is a separable verb made of in and korten. When a separable verb is used with te, the word te is sandwiched right between the prefix and the main verb, written as three separate words: in te korten.
Learn De kleermaker vraagt twintig euro om de jurk in te korten 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