Breakdown of Zij combineren de module met voltijd werken.
zij
they
werken
to work
met
with
de module
the module
Questions & Answers about Zij combineren de module met voltijd werken.
Why is the order voltijd werken instead of werken voltijd?
When an infinitive verb like werken is used as a noun phrase (like an English word ending in '-ing'), any words that describe it go before the verb. So 'working full-time' becomes 'full-time working' (voltijd werken).
Why do we use the infinitive werken here to mean 'working'?
In Dutch, you use the plain infinitive form of the verb when you want it to act like a noun. This is the equivalent of the English '-ing' form (the gerund). Because it follows the preposition met, the entire phrase voltijd werken acts as the object of that preposition.
Can I change the word order to: Zij combineren met voltijd werken de module?
No, that sounds unnatural in Dutch. The direct object (de module) normally needs to come immediately after the verb in a main clause, pushing the prepositional phrase (met voltijd werken) toward the end of the sentence.
Is voltijd the only way to say 'full-time' in Dutch?
You will also hear Dutch people use the English loanword fulltime very often. Both voltijd and fulltime are correct and widely used. The same applies to deeltijd and parttime for part-time work.