Breakdown of Ben jij geneigd hem te geloven?
zijn
to be
jij
you
geloven
to believe
hem
him
te
to (infinitive marker)
geneigd
inclined
Questions & Answers about Ben jij geneigd hem te geloven?
How does this sentence use a subject-matching infinitive clause?
When the subject of the main clause (jij) is the same as the implied subject of the second action (believing), Dutch often replaces a full dat clause with te + infinitive. With the expression geneigd zijn (to be inclined), this te structure is strictly required.
Why does hem come before te geloven instead of after it?
In a te-infinitive clause, the verb block is always pushed to the very end. Any objects receiving the action of that verb—in this case, the direct object hem—must be placed before the te + infinitive.
Is geneigd a verb or an adjective here?
It acts as an adjective, though it comes from the past participle of the verb neigen (to lean or tend). The fixed expression geneigd zijn te plus an infinitive means 'to be inclined to' or 'to tend to' do something.
Could I use je instead of jij in this sentence?
Yes, you could say Ben je geneigd... instead. Using jij simply puts a bit more emphasis on the person being asked, asking 'Are you inclined to believe him?' as opposed to someone else.
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