Breakdown of Wat cruciaal is, is de betekenis van dit project.
zijn
to be
het project
the project
dit
this (neuter)
van
from (possession, starting point) / made of
wat
that / which (relative)
cruciaal
crucial
de betekenis
the meaning
Questions & Answers about Wat cruciaal is, is de betekenis van dit project.
Why are there two is verbs right next to each other?
The first is belongs to the subordinate clause Wat cruciaal is (What is crucial). Because it is a subordinate clause, its verb goes to the end. The second is is the main verb of the whole sentence. A comma is used to separate them and make the sentence easier to read.
How does using Wat change the focus of this sentence?
This is a pseudo-cleft sentence. Instead of simply saying De betekenis van dit project is cruciaal (The meaning of this project is crucial), starting with Wat cruciaal is builds anticipation. It delays the most important information until the end, placing heavy emphasis on de betekenis van dit project.
If the sentence starts with a subordinate clause, why is there no inversion in the main clause?
There is no inversion because the subordinate clause Wat cruciaal is actually functions as the subject of the main sentence. The structure is simply Subject (the whole Wat clause) plus Verb (is) plus Complement. Inversion only happens when a sentence starts with something other than the subject.
Could I use bedoeling instead of betekenis here?
Not if you want to express meaning or significance. De betekenis refers to the impact, significance, or definition of something. De bedoeling means the intention or purpose behind it. While a project has a purpose (bedoeling), this specific sentence emphasizes its overall significance (betekenis).
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