Breakdown of De onderzoekers bepraten de correlatie tussen de cijfers.
het cijfer
the grade / the mark
de onderzoeker
the researcher
tussen
between
bepraten
to discuss (talk over informally)
Questions & Answers about De onderzoekers bepraten de correlatie tussen de cijfers.
How does the prefix be- change the verb praten in this sentence?
The base verb praten (to talk) usually requires a preposition, like praten over (to talk about). Adding the inseparable prefix be- turns it into the transitive verb bepraten (to discuss or talk over). This means it can take a direct object without needing a preposition. Here, that direct object is de correlatie.
What is the difference between bepraten and bespreken here?
Both translate to "to discuss," but they carry different tones. Bespreken (from spreken, to speak) is more formal and often implies a structured meeting. Bepraten (from praten, to talk) feels more conversational and informal. Using bepraten suggests the researchers are casually talking the correlation over rather than holding a formal review.
The translation says "grades," but doesn't cijfers mean "numbers"?
It can mean both! Cijfers translates to "numbers," "digits," "figures," or "grades" (as in school marks). The English translation provided assumes an educational context, but depending on what the researchers are studying, this sentence could perfectly well mean they are discussing the correlation between "the figures" or "the data."
Why use tussen instead of onder if there might be many grades?