Breakdown of Zowel de meerderheid als de minderheid neemt deel.
als
as (like / conjunction)
zowel
both (used with 'als')
deelnemen
to participate
de minderheid
the minority
Questions & Answers about Zowel de meerderheid als de minderheid neemt deel.
Why is the verb neemt singular if the subject is "both the majority and the minority"?
When two singular subjects are connected by zowel ... als ... (both ... and ...), traditional Dutch grammar requires a singular verb. Because both de meerderheid and de minderheid are singular nouns, the verb becomes neemt. Note: In everyday spoken Dutch, you might sometimes hear a plural verb used with this construction, but singular is the standard grammatical choice.
Do meerderheid and minderheid always take a singular verb, even though they refer to a large group of people?
Yes. In English, collective nouns like "majority" can sometimes take a plural verb (e.g., "the majority are happy"). In Dutch, however, collective nouns such as meerderheid, minderheid, groep, or team strictly take a singular verb.
Where does deel come from at the very end of the sentence?
It is the prefix of the separable verb deelnemen (to participate / to take part). Because this is a standard main clause, the conjugated part of the verb (neemt) takes the second position, while the separable prefix (deel) gets kicked to the end of the sentence.
If I started this sentence with a time word like Vandaag, how would the word order change?