Breakdown of Hij wil de bijzonderheden van de situatie weten.
hij
he / it (referring to a 'de'-word)
willen
to want
weten
to know (a fact)
van
from (possession, starting point) / made of
de situatie
the situation
de bijzonderheid
the detail (particularity)
Questions & Answers about Hij wil de bijzonderheden van de situatie weten.
What is the singular form of bijzonderheden, and why does it end in -heden?
The singular form is bijzonderheid. In Dutch, abstract nouns ending in the suffix -heid (which is similar to "-ity" or "-ness" in English) have an irregular plural. Instead of just adding an s or en, the suffix changes completely to -heden.
How does the word bijzonder (special) turn into the word for "details"?
Bijzonder means "special" or "particular". When you add -heid, you create the noun bijzonderheid ("a particularity"). In its plural form, bijzonderheden is a standard way to refer to the "particulars" or "details" of a specific situation or plan.
Could I just say de details instead of de bijzonderheden?
Yes, de details is a perfectly normal and common loanword in Dutch. Bijzonderheden sounds slightly more formal and is often used when asking about the "ins and outs" of an event, whereas details is used in both casual and formal contexts.
Why does weten (to know) go at the very end of the sentence?
This is a classic Dutch word order rule. The sentence uses the modal verb wil (wants). In a main clause, the conjugated verb (wil) takes the second position, and any additional verbs, like the full infinitive weten, are pushed all the way to the end of the sentence.
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