Learn Dutch: Deze sponsor wil het bewustzijn over armoede in de stad vergroten. - This sponsor wants to increase awareness about poverty in the city.

Both mean 'to increase', but vergroten is transitive, meaning it is used when a specific subject causes the increase. Toenemen is intransitive and used when something increases on its own (e.g., 'the temperature increases'). Because the sponsor is actively acting to make the awareness bigger, we must use vergroten.

How is the word bewustzijn formed, and why does it take the article het?

Bewustzijn is a compound noun made of the adjective bewust (conscious) and the verb zijn (to be). In Dutch, nouns created directly from the full infinitive form of a verb are always neuter, which is why it automatically takes the definite article het.

Can I say bewustzijn van instead of bewustzijn over?

Yes, both are correct and often interchangeable. Bewustzijn van translates closely to 'awareness of', while bewustzijn over is more like 'awareness about'. When talking about raising public awareness regarding a broad social issue like poverty, over is a very natural choice.

Is armoede related to the adjective arm?