Breakdown of De vrouw die geobsedeerd is door fotografie, koopt een nieuwe laptop.
zijn
to be
een
a/an
de vrouw
the woman
kopen
to buy
nieuw
new
die
who / that (relative pronoun)
door
by (agent in a passive sentence)
de laptop
the laptop
geobsedeerd
obsessed
de fotografie
the photography
Questions & Answers about De vrouw die geobsedeerd is door fotografie, koopt een nieuwe laptop.
Why do we use door here instead of met, since the English translation says 'obsessed with'?
In Dutch, certain adjectives take specific fixed prepositions. While English says 'obsessed with', Dutch uses geobsedeerd door (literally 'obsessed by'). You just have to memorize door as the fixed partner for geobsedeerd.
Why is the verb is placed before door fotografie instead of at the very end of the subclause?
In a relative clause like this, the verb usually goes at the end. However, a prepositional phrase like door fotografie is allowed to break this rule and appear after the verb. Saying die door fotografie geobsedeerd is is also completely correct.
Why does the second part of the sentence start directly with the verb koopt without repeating the subject?
Dutch follows the verb-second rule in main clauses. The entire first part of the sentence, De vrouw die geobsedeerd is door fotografie, counts as one big subject (position 1). Therefore, the main verb koopt must immediately follow it in position 2.
Why is the relative pronoun die used here instead of dat?
You use die because it refers back to de vrouw, which is a de word. You only use dat when pointing back to a het word.
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