Breakdown of Zolen die versleten zijn, moeten worden vervangen.
zijn
to be
moeten
to have to, must
worden
to become
die
who / that (relative pronoun)
vervangen
to replace
de zool
the sole
versleten
worn out
Questions & Answers about Zolen die versleten zijn, moeten worden vervangen.
Why is there no comma before die, but there is one after zijn?
This ties into your current lesson! The clause die versleten zijn is a restrictive relative clause (beperkende bijzin). It specifies exactly which soles must be replaced (only the worn-out ones). Because it restricts the meaning, we do not put a comma before die. However, the comma after zijn is required to close the relative clause and separate its verb from the main verb moeten. If we added a comma before die, it would become a non-restrictive clause, implying that all soles must be replaced, and they all just happen to be worn out.
Why do we use die instead of dat for the relative pronoun here?
The relative pronoun must match the noun it refers back to. Here, it refers to zolen (soles). Because zolen is a plural noun, we must use die. We only use dat to refer back to singular het-words.
Why is the passive voice built with worden here instead of zijn?
We use worden because this describes an action that needs to take place (the dynamic passive voice). The soles must undergo the physical process of being replaced. If you used zijn, it would refer to a completed state, meaning the soles must already be in the condition of having been replaced.
Why doesn't versleten get an -e at the end since zolen is plural?
Versleten is the past participle of the strong verb verslijten (to wear out), functioning here as an adjective describing a state. Adjectives only get the -e ending when they are placed directly before the noun they modify (as in versleten zolen). Because it is used predicatively here (placed after the noun with the linking verb zijn), it stays in its base form.
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