Breakdown of Je moet stil wachten om wat dan ook te zien.
ook
also / -ever (concessive particle)
zien
to see
wat
what
wachten
to wait
moeten
to have to, must
stil
quiet
je
you (unstressed form of jij)
te
to (infinitive marker)
om
in order to
dan ook
(in 'wie dan ook') -ever
Questions & Answers about Je moet stil wachten om wat dan ook te zien.
What exactly does wat dan ook mean, and why not just use iets?
The phrase wat dan ook translates to 'anything whatsoever' or 'whatever'. While iets just means 'something' or 'anything', adding dan ook to a question word creates a strong sense of boundlessness or emphasis, just like the '-ever' suffix in English.
Can I use dan ook with other question words?
Yes! You can pair dan ook with almost any question word to give it that same '-ever' meaning. Common examples include wie dan ook (whoever or anyone at all), waar dan ook (wherever or anywhere), and wanneer dan ook (whenever or anytime).
Why are om and te separated from each other in this sentence?
In Dutch, the om ... te construction (which means 'in order to') always wraps around the object of the verb. The structure is om + object and other details + te + infinitive. Here, the object being seen is wat dan ook, so it gets sandwiched right between om and te zien.
Could I say rustig wachten instead of stil wachten?
You could, but it changes the nuance. Stil wachten means waiting without making a sound or without moving, which is necessary if you are trying not to scare away animals, for instance. Rustig wachten means waiting calmly or patiently, without getting frustrated.
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