Word
Steeds meer mensen overlijden helaas ten gevolge van deze besmetting.
Meaning
More and more people are unfortunately passing away as a result of this infection.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Breakdown of Steeds meer mensen overlijden helaas ten gevolge van deze besmetting.
deze
this / these
de mens
the human / the person
meer
more
helaas
unfortunately
Questions & Answers about Steeds meer mensen overlijden helaas ten gevolge van deze besmetting.
What is the meaning of ten gevolge van, and is it used in casual conversation?
It means "as a result of" or "due to." It is a formal expression, commonly used in news or medical reports, which explains the old-fashioned grammar (ten instead of a modern preposition and article, plus the extra -e on gevolge). In casual speech, you would usually just say door (by/because of) or als gevolg van.
Why does this sentence use overlijden instead of doodgaan or sterven?
Overlijden is the formal and respectful word for "to pass away." It perfectly matches the formal, journalistic tone set by ten gevolge van. Doodgaan is the most common everyday word for "to die," while sterven often sounds a bit more dramatic, poetic, or literary.
How exactly does steeds work with meer here?
In Dutch, placing steeds before a comparative word means that something is continuously increasing or progressing. So, steeds meer means "more and more." You can do this with any comparative adjective or adverb, such as steeds beter (better and better) or steeds sneller (faster and faster).
Could I place helaas at the very beginning of the sentence instead?