Breakdown of Neuriënd kamde het meisje haar haar.
het meisje
the girl
haar
her
het haar
the hair
neuriën
to hum
kammen
to comb
Questions & Answers about Neuriënd kamde het meisje haar haar.
Why does neuriënd not have an -e at the end?
Neuriënd is a present participle used here as an adverb describing an action happening at the same time as the main verb. Because it acts as an adverb rather than an adjective modifying a noun directly, it does not get an -e ending.
Why does the single word neuriënd cause inversion in kamde het meisje?
Even though it is just one word here, Neuriënd functions as a full introductory clause (a reduced clause or beknopte bijzin). Because it takes up the first position in the sentence, the main verb (kamde) must take the second position, pushing the subject (het meisje) to the third position.
Could this sentence imply that someone else was humming while the girl combed her hair?
No. A strict rule for a reduced clause (beknopte bijzin) is that its implied subject must be exactly the same as the subject of the main clause. Since het meisje is the subject of kamde, she must also be the one humming.
Why is there a diaeresis (two dots) on the e in neuriënd?
The base verb neuriën (to hum) uses the diaeresis to show that the i and e are pronounced as two separate syllables, rather than blending into a single vowel sound. The present participle simply takes the infinitive and adds a -d, so the spelling rule remains exactly the same.
Is it normal to write haar haar twice in a row like that?
Yes, it is completely normal and common! The first haar is the possessive pronoun (her), and the second haar is the noun (hair). Dutch speakers are very used to this combination.
Learn Neuriënd kamde het meisje haar haar and more in Dutch
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free