Breakdown of Zij neemt zich voor morgen te beginnen.
zij
she
beginnen
to begin
morgen
tomorrow
te
to (infinitive marker)
zich voornemen
to intend
Questions & Answers about Zij neemt zich voor morgen te beginnen.
How does this sentence demonstrate the shortened te-clause we are learning?
If we used a standard subclause, this would be Zij neemt zich voor dat zij morgen begint. Because the subject (zij) is the same in both the main clause and the subclause, Dutch allows us to drop dat zij and replace the conjugated verb with te plus an infinitive (te beginnen). This shortened structure is called a beknopte bijzin and often sounds much more natural.
Why is the word voor placed right before morgen?
The main verb here is the separable verb zich voornemen (to intend / to resolve). In a standard main clause, the separable prefix (voor) goes to the very end of that clause. The infinitive phrase (morgen te beginnen) is an extra block attached after the main clause is complete, so voor sits right at the boundary between the two clauses.
Why do we need the word zich in this sentence?
The verb zich voornemen is inherently reflexive in Dutch. Because the subject is zij, the correct reflexive pronoun is zich. You can think of it literally as taking a plan or resolution 'for oneself'.
Could I place a comma before morgen to make the two clauses easier to separate?
Yes, you absolutely can. Writing Zij neemt zich voor, morgen te beginnen is grammatically correct and highlights the boundary between the main clause and the shortened te-clause. In short sentences like this one, however, Dutch writers usually leave the comma out.
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