Breakdown of Hoe kunnen we ons huis verduurzamen?
het huis
the house
ons
our
hoe
how
kunnen
can
we
we (unstressed form of wij)
verduurzamen
to make sustainable
Questions & Answers about Hoe kunnen we ons huis verduurzamen?
How does the prefix ver- work in verduurzamen?
The verb verduurzamen comes from the adjective duurzaam (sustainable). Adding the prefix ver- and the verb ending -en creates a verb meaning "to make sustainable" or "to become sustainable." This is a standard way the ver- prefix is used to indicate a change of state.
Is verduurzamen a common word in spoken Dutch?
Yes, it is extremely common! Because of the ongoing energy transition in the Netherlands and Belgium, people constantly talk about je huis verduurzamen (making your house more energy-efficient, such as by adding insulation, a heat pump, or solar panels). It is a highly relevant vocabulary word.
Quick refresher: why is it ons huis and not onze huis?
You use ons because huis is a neuter noun (a het-word) and it is singular. If the noun were a de-word or if it were plural, you would use onze instead (for example, onze auto or onze huizen).
Why does verduurzamen appear at the very end of the sentence?
This is due to the modal verb kunnen (can). In a standard Dutch main clause, the conjugated modal verb takes the second position, which pushes the main infinitive verb (verduurzamen) to the very end of the sentence.
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