Breakdown of Steeds meer mensen overlijden helaas ten gevolge van deze besmetting.
deze
this / these
de mens
the human / person
meer
more
helaas
unfortunately
steeds
again and again, constantly / still (in 'nog steeds')
ten gevolge van
as a result of
overlijden
to pass away / to die (formal)
de besmetting
the infection / the contamination
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?
Yes, you could say Helaas overlijden steeds meer mensen... (remembering to invert the subject and verb). Putting it at the beginning adds extra emphasis to the tragedy. Here, it sits in the standard position for adverbs of attitude: right after the conjugated verb and the subject (steeds meer mensen).
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