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Questions & Answers about Denk eraan!
Why do we use eraan here instead of "aan het" for "about it"?
In Dutch, you cannot combine a preposition (like aan) with the pronoun het (it). Instead, you replace the "it" with er (there) and attach it to the preposition. So, "about it" becomes the single fused word eraan (literally "there-about").
How do I know to use aan to make eraan in this sentence?
The preposition depends on the verb. In Dutch, the fixed combination is denken aan (to think of/about). Because the verb requires aan, thinking about "it" creates the combination eraan.
Why does this translate to "Remember it!" instead of "Think about it!"?
While denken aan literally means "to think of", the command Denk eraan! is a common fixed expression used to say "Don't forget!" or "Keep it in mind!". If you want to tell someone to deeply ponder a choice, you would use the verb nadenken over instead, which makes Denk erover na!.
Why is the verb just Denk without a subject pronoun like jij?
This is an imperative (a command). To tell someone to do something in Dutch, you just use the shortest form of the verb (the stem) and drop the subject completely. This works whether you are talking to one person or a group.