Breakdown of Je moet een stempel op het door te sturen document zetten.
een
a/an
op
on
moeten
to have to, must
het document
the document
je
you (unstressed form of jij)
te
to (infinitive marker)
zetten
to make (coffee/tea) / to put
de stempel
the stamp
doorsturen
to forward
Questions & Answers about Je moet een stempel op het door te sturen document zetten.
Why is door te sturen written as three separate words?
The base verb here is the separable verb doorsturen (to forward). When forming this grammatical structure (the attributive modal infinitive) with a separable verb, the word te is placed between the prefix (door) and the main verb (sturen), and all three must be written as separate words.
Why is the phrase door te sturen placed between het and document?
The te + infinitive construction acts exactly like an adjective describing the noun, expressing a passive obligation (something that "has to be done"). Just as a normal adjective sits between the article and the noun (e.g., het rode document), the entire phrase door te sturen goes in that exact same spot.
Why do we use zetten instead of another verb for "to put", like leggen or doen?
In Dutch, zetten is the standard verb used when placing a stamp, signature, or mark on a document. Think of it as "setting" a stamp firmly in place. You will see this same verb in the very common phrase een handtekening zetten (to put a signature / to sign).
Why is zetten pushed all the way to the very end of the sentence?
This is standard Dutch word order. Because the sentence uses the conjugated modal verb moeten (moet) in the second position, the main infinitive verb (zetten) gets sent to the end of the clause. The phrase op het door te sturen document just describes the location of the action, so it comfortably sits before that final verb.
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