Breakdown of De koningin, wier dynastie oud is, bezoekt het kasteel.
zijn
to be
oud
old
bezoeken
to visit
het
it
het kasteel
the castle
de koningin
the queen
wier
whose (feminine/plural)
de dynastie
the dynasty
Questions & Answers about De koningin, wier dynastie oud is, bezoekt het kasteel.
Why do we use wier here instead of wiens?
Wier is the formal word for "whose" when referring back to a feminine or plural noun. Because de koningin (the queen) is feminine, we must use wier. If the sentence were about a king (de koning, masculine), you would use wiens.
Would I use wier in an everyday conversation?
Probably not. While you might occasionally hear wiens in speech, wier is almost exclusively used in formal written Dutch. In casual conversation, native speakers typically use the phrase van wie instead: De koningin, van wie de dynastie oud is...
Why is the verb is pushed to the end of the middle section?
The phrase wier dynastie oud is is a relative clause, which follows the same word order rules as a subordinate clause. In Dutch subordinate clauses, the conjugated verb is pushed to the very end of the clause.
Why does bezoekt immediately follow the comma? Doesn't the verb need a subject right next to it?
The subject is already there at the beginning: De koningin. The core sentence is simply De koningin bezoekt het kasteel. The relative clause just temporarily interrupts it. Once the relative clause ends at the comma, the main clause picks up exactly where it left off, placing the verb bezoekt in its normal second position.
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