Breakdown of Dat zijn de omstandigheden waarin we het probleem moeten oplossen.
zijn
to be
het probleem
the problem
dat
that (het-words)
moeten
to have to, must
we
we (unstressed form of wij)
oplossen
to solve / to resolve
waarin
in which
de omstandigheid
the circumstance
Questions & Answers about Dat zijn de omstandigheden waarin we het probleem moeten oplossen.
What is the singular form of omstandigheden and how does the plural work?
The singular is omstandigheid (circumstance). In Dutch, nouns ending in the suffix -heid change to -heden in the plural. This is a common irregular pattern for abstract nouns.
Why does the sentence use the singular Dat with the plural verb zijn?
When introducing or pointing out a noun using a form of "to be", Dutch uses the fixed singular pronouns dit (these) or dat (those). The verb then matches the plural noun that follows, which is why we say Dat zijn (Those are) instead of "Die zijn".
Why is waarin used here to mean "in which"?
In Dutch, you cannot combine a preposition like "in" with "which" when referring to things. Instead, you replace the pronoun with waar (where) and attach it to the preposition. So, "in which" becomes waarin (literally "wherein").
Why are the verbs moeten and oplossen pushed to the very end?
The word waarin starts a subordinate clause. In Dutch subordinate clauses, all verbs are sent to the end. Here, the modal verb moeten and the main verb oplossen cluster together at the end of the sentence.
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