Breakdown of De bezoeker dient in de rechtbank te zwijgen.
in
in
te
to (infinitive marker)
de bezoeker
the visitor
dienen
to be obliged to
de rechtbank
the court (district court / court of law)
zwijgen
to remain silent
Questions & Answers about De bezoeker dient in de rechtbank te zwijgen.
How does dient te compare to just using moet in this sentence?
The verb moeten (must) is standard and everyday. Dienen te followed by an infinitive is a highly formal version of moeten. It is primarily used for official rules, written instructions, and legal contexts, making it the perfect choice for a strict rule in a rechtbank (court).
Why is te zwijgen placed at the very end of the sentence?
As with other auxiliary verbs, the conjugated verb (dient) takes the second position in the main clause, pushing the second verb (zwijgen) to the very end. When an auxiliary verb requires te, the word te always stays firmly attached right in front of its infinitive at the end of the clause.
Could I say stil te zijn instead of te zwijgen?
You could, but the nuance is slightly different. Zwijgen specifically means to refrain from speaking or to keep your mouth shut. Stil zijn means to be quiet in general, which includes not making noise with objects or your body. In a legal context, zwijgen strictly emphasizes the ban on talking.
Does rechtbank refer to the building or the specific room?
It can be both. Rechtbank translates to court or courthouse (the institution or the building itself). When told to be silent in de rechtbank, it usually means inside the actual courtroom during a session, though a specific courtroom room is often more precisely called a rechtszaal.
Learn De bezoeker dient in de rechtbank te zwijgen and more in Dutch
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free