Breakdown of Hij is benoemd tot het ambt, hetgeen veel verantwoordelijkheid betekent.
zijn
to be
hij
he / it (referring to a 'de'-word)
veel
much / many / a lot of
betekenen
to mean
de verantwoordelijkheid
the responsibility
hetgeen
which / that which (referring to a whole clause)
benoemen
to appoint
tot
to (indicating a goal or position)
het ambt
the office (official position)
Questions & Answers about Hij is benoemd tot het ambt, hetgeen veel verantwoordelijkheid betekent.
Why is hetgeen used here instead of wat?
Both hetgeen and wat translate to "which" when referring back to a complete preceding clause (here: the fact that he was appointed). However, hetgeen is highly formal and mostly found in written language or official contexts. In everyday speech, you would almost always use wat (..., wat veel verantwoordelijkheid betekent).
Is tot the standard preposition to use with benoemen?
Yes, benoemen tot is a fixed combination meaning "to appoint as" or "to appoint to". You'll often see it in formal contexts, like benoemd tot directeur (appointed as director) or benoemd tot burgemeester (appointed as mayor).
Why does the translation say "He is appointed" but the Dutch uses is benoemd instead of wordt benoemd?
Dutch distinguishes between the action of being appointed (worden) and the resulting state (zijn). Hij is benoemd means the appointment has already happened, and he is currently in that state. If you used Hij wordt benoemd, it would mean the appointment is happening right now. English often uses "is" for both.
What is the difference between ambt and kantoor if both mean "office"?
Kantoor refers to a physical workplace or desk (like an office building). Ambt refers to an official position, duty, or role, usually in government, law, or the church (like the office of the President or a mayor).
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