Breakdown of De influencer schijnt de video's stiekem te kopiëren.
stiekem
secretly
te
to (infinitive marker)
kopiëren
to copy
schijnen
to seem / be said to (hearsay)
de video
the video
de influencer
the influencer
Questions & Answers about De influencer schijnt de video's stiekem te kopiëren.
How does schijnt work here compared to a sentence with a dat clause?
This is a classic example of subject raising. Instead of using a dummy subject like in Het schijnt dat de influencer de video's stiekem kopieert, we make de influencer the main subject. The evidential verb schijnt takes the second position, and the actual action (kopiëren) is pushed to the end as te + infinitive.
Why use schijnt here instead of lijkt?
Both translate to 'seems', but schijnen specifically implies hearsay or rumors (you heard it from someone else). This fits perfectly with internet gossip about an influencer. Lijken, on the other hand, is usually based on your own direct observation or personal impression.
Why is stiekem placed exactly where it is, right before te kopiëren?
In a subject raising construction, the te + infinitive block always goes at the very end of the sentence. Adverbs like stiekem (secretly) and direct objects like de video's must come before it in the middle field.
Why does kopiëren have a trema (the two dots on the e)?
The trema in kopiëren tells you where a new syllable begins. Without it, you might try to pronounce the ie and e together as a single Dutch vowel sound. The dots show that the e starts its own syllable, pronounced roughly like ko-pie-ye-ren.
Learn De influencer schijnt de video's stiekem te kopiëren and more in Dutch
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free