Breakdown of Kan ik een computer hacken zonder toestemming?
ik
I
een
a/an
kunnen
can
de computer
the computer
zonder
without
de toestemming
the permission
hacken
to hack
Questions & Answers about Kan ik een computer hacken zonder toestemming?
How would I change this sentence to say 'without someone's permission'?
To practice the current lesson, you can use the possessive indefinite pronoun iemands (someone's) and place it right before the noun. The end of the sentence simply becomes zonder iemands toestemming.
Because hacken is an English loanword, does it follow normal Dutch verb rules?
Yes, English loanwords generally follow standard Dutch conjugation rules. The infinitive gets an -en ending to become hacken. For other forms, you use the English stem: 'he hacks' is hij hackt (stem + t), and the past participle is gehackt.
Why is the verb hacken placed before zonder toestemming, rather than at the very end of the sentence?
Modal verbs like Kan push the infinitive (hacken) to the end of the clause, but prepositional phrases like zonder toestemming can often be added past the verb. It is also perfectly correct to put the phrase before the verb: Kan ik zonder toestemming een computer hacken?
Do I ever need to use an article like een or de before toestemming here?
No, just like in English, abstract nouns like toestemming (permission) usually do not take an article when used after prepositions like zonder (without).
Learn Kan ik een computer hacken zonder toestemming and more in Dutch
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free