Question 1

How does te delegeren work here to mean "to be delegated"?

Accepted Answer

This is called an attributive modal infinitive. By putting te plus an infinitive (delegeren) directly before a noun (taken), it acts like an adjective with a passive meaning. It implies that something must or can be done to the noun. You can think of it as "the to-be-delegated tasks".

Question 2

Why doesn't delegeren get an -e ending, since it acts as an adjective before the plural noun taken?

Accepted Answer

Normally, adjectives before a plural noun like taken get an -e ending (for example, de nieuwe taken). However, when you use the te + infinitive structure, the verb never takes an extra -e. It always stays in its exact dictionary form.

Question 3

How would I write this using a normal relative clause instead of the te + infinitive structure?

Accepted Answer

You would use a passive construction with a modal verb. You could say: De taken die gedelegeerd moeten worden, hebben geen urgentie. (The tasks that must be delegated have no urgency). The te delegeren version is just a shorter, slightly more formal way to express the exact same idea.

Question 4

Why use geen urgentie instead of niet urgentie?

Accepted Answer

Because urgentie (urgency) is a noun. In Dutch, you negate nouns with geen (no / not any). If you wanted to use the adjective form instead, you would use niet: De taken zijn niet urgent (The tasks are not urgent).

De te delegeren taken hebben geen urgentie.

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