Learn Dutch: Jullie zouden de broederschap moeten verdedigen.

The suffix -schap is much like the English suffixes "-hood" or "-ship". It turns a concrete noun like broeder (brother) into an abstract concept or a collective group. Here, it creates broederschap, meaning "brotherhood" or "fraternity".

I learned that many -schap words are het words. Why does this sentence use de broederschap?

Words ending in -schap can be tricky! When broederschap refers to an organization or society (a fraternity), it is a de word. However, when it refers to the abstract feeling or state of being brothers, it is a het word (het broederschap). Because they are physically or legally defending it, this sentence likely refers to the organization.

Why is "should" translated using both zouden and moeten?

To express "should" as a recommendation or duty rather than a strict command, Dutch uses the conditional tense. You take the past tense of zullen (which is zouden for the plural subject jullie) and pair it with the infinitive moeten. If you just used jullie moeten, it would mean "you must" or "you have to".

Why are both moeten and verdedigen pushed to the end of the sentence?