Word
De influencer schijnt de video's stiekem te kopiëren.
Meaning
The influencer seems to secretly copy the videos.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
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)
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)?