Breakdown of Hij is geneigd veel te klagen.
zijn
to be
hij
he / it (referring to a 'de'-word)
veel
much / many / a lot of
klagen
to complain
te
to (infinitive marker)
geneigd
inclined
Questions & Answers about Hij is geneigd veel te klagen.
How does this sentence demonstrate a shortened clause (beknopte bijzin)?
Because the person who is inclined and the person complaining are the exact same (Hij), we do not need to repeat the subject. Instead of making a full subclause with a subject and conjugated verb, we use the shortened form with te plus the infinitive klagen.
Could I replace the infinitive clause with a dat clause here, like Hij is geneigd dat hij veel klaagt?
No, that would sound unnatural. While the grammar rule you are learning allows you to swap dat clauses for te infinitives with verbs like hopen (to hope) or beloven (to promise), the specific expression geneigd zijn (to be inclined) almost exclusively takes a te infinitive.
Why is veel placed before te klagen? In English we say 'complain a lot'.
In a Dutch infinitive clause, the te plus the infinitive verb must sit at the very end of that clause. Any objects or adverbs, such as veel (a lot), have to be placed before it.
Is geneigd a verb or an adjective here?
It functions as an adjective in this sentence, meaning 'inclined' or 'prone'. However, it originates as the past participle of the verb neigen (to tend or to lean).
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