Breakdown of Je hoeft de automaat slechts aan te zetten.
je
you (unstressed form of jij)
hoeven
to need (to)
te
to (infinitive marker)
aanzetten
to turn on
de automaat
the machine / the kiosk
slechts
only / merely (just, no more than)
Questions & Answers about Je hoeft de automaat slechts aan te zetten.
Why do we use hoeft here instead of moet?
In Dutch, we do not use moeten for restrictive obligations like 'only need to'. Instead, we use hoeven combined with a restrictive word like slechts (only) or alleen maar, followed by te and the infinitive verb.
Why is the word te placed inside aan te zetten?
The verb aanzetten (to turn on) is a separable verb, made of the prefix aan and the verb zetten. When a separable verb is used with te, the te must go exactly in the middle between those two parts.
Could I use alleen maar instead of slechts in this sentence?
Yes, you could say Je hoeft de automaat alleen maar aan te zetten. The words slechts and alleen maar both mean 'only' and work exactly the same way with hoeven. The word slechts is just a bit more formal.
Does automaat translate directly to the English adjective 'automatic'?
No, automaat is a noun. It refers to a machine that operates automatically, such as a vending machine, a coffee dispenser, or an ATM. While it can also mean a car with an automatic transmission, in this context it simply means 'the machine'.
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