Breakdown of Vaak vergeet hij de aanpassing door te geven.
hij
he / it (referring to a 'de'-word)
vaak
often
vergeten
to forget
doorgeven
to pass on
te
to (infinitive marker)
de aanpassing
the adjustment
Questions & Answers about Vaak vergeet hij de aanpassing door te geven.
How does the -ing suffix work in the word aanpassing?
It turns the verb aanpassen (to adjust or modify) into a noun, meaning "the adjustment". In Dutch, adding -ing to a verb stem is a very common way to create a noun that represents the action or result of that verb. As a helpful rule, all nouns created with the -ing suffix take the definite article de.
Why is te placed in the middle of door te geven?
The verb here is doorgeven (to pass on), which is a separable verb made of the prefix door and the verb geven. When a separable verb is used in an infinitive construction with te (which is triggered here by the verb vergeet, meaning "forgets to"), the te must be placed between the prefix and the core verb. It is always written as three separate words: door te geven.
Could I say Hij vergeet vaak de aanpassing door te geven instead?
Is doorgeven the best verb to use for passing on information?
Yes, doorgeven is exactly the right verb for passing along messages, administrative changes, or information to another person or department. You can also use it for physical objects, like asking someone at the dinner table to pass the salt (het zout doorgeven).
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