Breakdown of Schat jij in dat hij zal winnen? Ik denk van niet.
ik
I
jij
you
hij
he / it (referring to a 'de'-word)
zullen
shall / will
denken
to think
winnen
to win
dat
that (conjunction)
van niet
not / that it isn't (e.g. I think not)
inschatten
to assess
Questions & Answers about Schat jij in dat hij zal winnen? Ik denk van niet.
Why do we use van niet instead of just saying Ik denk niet?
In Dutch, when you replace a whole clause (like 'that he will win') with a simple 'yes' or 'no' after verbs of thought or communication, you must use van wel or van niet. If you just say Ik denk niet, it literally means 'I am not thinking,' rather than 'I don't think so.'
Why is the word in placed right before dat?
The verb in the first half of the sentence is the separable verb inschatten (to estimate). In a main clause, the separable prefix (in) moves to the end of that clause. Because dat starts a new subordinate clause, the main clause ends right there, forcing in to sit immediately before dat.
Could I change the word order at the end of the question to dat hij winnen zal?
Yes, you can. In a subordinate clause with an auxiliary verb (zal) and an infinitive (winnen) at the end, you can put them in either order. Both dat hij zal winnen and dat hij winnen zal are grammatically correct, though zal winnen is a bit more common in modern spoken Dutch.
What is the difference in nuance between inschatten and denken here?
While both involve forming an opinion, inschatten is more analytical. It translates to 'to assess', 'to judge', or 'to estimate'. You use inschatten when you are weighing the odds or evaluating a situation, whereas denken is just the general word for 'to think'.
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