Breakdown of De stijging is groter dan dat de meerderheid denkt.
zijn
to be
groot
big
denken
to think
dan
than
Questions & Answers about De stijging is groter dan dat de meerderheid denkt.
Why does this sentence use dan dat instead of just dan?
While dan works perfectly for simple comparisons (like groter dan een huis), you are comparing the main clause to an entirely new action here (de meerderheid denkt). Using dan dat explicitly turns the second half into a subordinate clause. This structure is extremely common in everyday Dutch for complex or hypothetical comparisons.
Why is the verb denkt at the very end of the sentence?
The word dat acts as a subordinating conjunction, meaning it introduces a dependent clause. In Dutch, this forces the working verb (denkt) to the end of that clause.
Can I leave out dat and just say dan de meerderheid denkt?
Yes, you can! In more formal or written Dutch, dan alone can act as the subordinator, keeping denkt at the end. However, adding dat is very common in spoken Dutch because it makes the transition into the new clause feel smoother and more explicit.
Is the noun stijging related to a verb?
Yes, it comes from the verb stijgen (to rise or to climb). Just like in English, adding the suffix -ing to a Dutch verb stem often creates a noun representing the action, giving us stijging for "the rise" or "the increase".