Breakdown of Niemand weet wie de schuldige is, maar het is de muis die de doos omgooit.
zijn
to be
maar
but
wie
who
het
it
Questions & Answers about Niemand weet wie de schuldige is, maar het is de muis die de doos omgooit.
Why do we say het is de muis die... instead of just de muis gooit de doos om?
This structure is used to put a strong spotlight on one specific part of the sentence. By saying het is de muis die... (it is the mouse that...), you emphasize that the mouse did it, rather than anyone else. This is called a cleft sentence.
How do I know whether to use die or dat in het is de muis die...?
It depends on the definite article of the noun you are emphasizing. Because muis takes de (de muis), you must use die. If you were emphasizing a het-word, like het dier (the animal), you would use dat: het is het dier dat....
Why is the verb omgooit at the very end of the sentence?
The section starting with die is a relative clause, which follows subclause word order. In Dutch subclauses, the verb is pushed to the end. Also, omgooien (to knock over) is a separable verb. When a separable verb is sent to the end of a subclause, its prefix (om) and the verb (gooit) stay attached as a single word.
Why does the verb is come at the end of wie de schuldige is?