Learn Dutch: Waarom wil je de slaapkamer verkleinen? - Why do you want to make the bedroom smaller?

The prefix ver- often turns an adjective into a verb that indicates a change of state. By adding it to klein (small), you get verkleinen, which means to make something smaller or to reduce its size.

Is it also correct to say kleiner maken instead of verkleinen?

Yes, de slaapkamer kleiner maken is perfectly correct and means the exact same thing. However, using a single derived verb like verkleinen is extremely common in Dutch and makes your sentences sound more advanced and concise.

Why is verkleinen at the very end of this sentence?

This is due to standard Dutch sentence structure. Because wil (want) is the conjugated modal verb, it pushes the main action verb, verkleinen, all the way to the end of the clause.

Does the ver- prefix affect which syllable gets the stress in verkleinen?

No, the stress stays on the root word. Inseparable prefixes like ver-, be-, and ge- are never stressed in Dutch. You pronounce the prefix with a soft unstressed sound and put the full emphasis on klein.