Breakdown of Ik kneed de klei stevig, zoals de pottenbakker uitlegt.
ik
I
uitleggen
to explain
zoals
such as, like
de klei
the clay
de pottenbakker
the potter
kneden
to knead
stevig
firm
Questions & Answers about Ik kneed de klei stevig, zoals de pottenbakker uitlegt.
Why does the verb uitlegt come at the very end of the sentence?
The word zoals (as / like) is a subordinating conjunction. This means it introduces a dependent clause and forces the conjugated verb (uitlegt) all the way to the end of that clause.
Isn't uitleggen a separable verb? Why isn't the uit separated here?
Good eye! uitleggen (to explain) is indeed a separable verb. In a main clause, you would say de pottenbakker legt uit. However, because zoals kicks the verb to the end of the clause, the separable prefix (uit) and the verb (legt) are forced back together into a single word: uitlegt.
How exactly does the word pottenbakker translate to "potter"?
It is a compound noun made of potten (pots) and bakker (baker). A potter in Dutch is quite literally a "pots baker"!
I learned stevig as "sturdy" or "solid". How does it translate to "firmly" here?
In Dutch, adjectives can almost always be used directly as adverbs without changing their form (unlike adding "-ly" in English). Here, stevig describes the action of kneading, meaning it is done in a firm, vigorous, or steady way.
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