Breakdown of Hij verleent de buurvrouw de gunst.
hij
he / it (referring to a 'de'-word)
de buurvrouw
the neighbor (female)
verlenen
to grant / to provide
de gunst
the favor
Questions & Answers about Hij verleent de buurvrouw de gunst.
Why is de buurvrouw placed before de gunst in this sentence?
This sentence uses strict word order instead of a preposition to show who receives the favor. When you don't use a preposition, the indirect object (de buurvrouw) must come before the definite direct object (de gunst).
How would this sentence look if I wanted to use a preposition instead?
It would become: Hij verleent de gunst aan de buurvrouw. When you use the preposition aan (to) for the indirect object, it moves to the end of the sentence, after the direct object (de gunst).
Could I use voor (for) instead of aan (to) in that alternative sentence?
No, with the verb verlenen (to grant), you must use aan. You are conceptually granting a favor to the neighbor. Voor is used when you do something on someone's behalf, like baking a cake for them.
What is the difference between verlenen and just using geven (to give)?
Verlenen is a more formal verb meaning 'to grant', 'to provide', or 'to render'. While you could theoretically use geven, een gunst verlenen is a very common fixed expression (a collocation) in Dutch for granting a favor. You will also see it in phrases like hulp verlenen (to provide assistance).