Breakdown of Op deze wijze kunnen we het probleem oplossen.
wij
we
het probleem
the problem
op
on
deze
this / these
Questions & Answers about Op deze wijze kunnen we het probleem oplossen.
The current lesson is about the suffix -wijze. Why is wijze a separate word here?
The word wijze is originally a standalone noun meaning manner or way. In this sentence, it functions as an independent noun modified by the pronoun deze (this). The suffix -wijze evolved from this noun to turn other words into adverbs, but here you are seeing it in its original standalone form.
What is the difference between op deze wijze and op deze manier?
They mean the exact same thing. However, op deze manier is much more common in everyday spoken Dutch. Wijze sounds a bit more formal, which aligns with its frequent use as a suffix in more formal or abstract adverbs.
Why does the sentence use kunnen we instead of we kunnen?
Because the sentence starts with the prepositional phrase Op deze wijze, it triggers inversion. In Dutch main clauses, the conjugated verb must always be in the second position. So, the modal verb kunnen comes second, pushing the subject we immediately after it.
Since oplossen is a separable verb, shouldn't it be split up here?
Separable verbs only split when they are the conjugated verb in a main clause. In this sentence, kunnen is the conjugated verb, which sends oplossen to the end of the sentence as an infinitive. When a separable verb is used as a full infinitive, its prefix and core verb remain attached to each other.