Questions & Answers about Wij zijn de tafels af aan het vegen.
Why is af separated from vegen and placed before aan het?
The verb here is afvegen (to wipe down), which is a separable verb. In everyday spoken Dutch, it is very common to split a separable verb when using the aan het continuous form. The separable prefix (af) is placed right before aan het, and the root infinitive (vegen) goes at the very end of the sentence.
Can I keep the verb together and say aan het afvegen instead?
Yes, absolutely! Wij zijn de tafels aan het afvegen is the standard, officially correct way to say this, and it is preferred in formal writing. The split version shown in this sentence (af aan het vegen) is a colloquial variation that you will hear native speakers use all the time in casual conversation.
Why does de tafels come before the aan het construction?
In Dutch continuous constructions, the direct object (de tafels) must come before aan het. You cannot follow the English word order and place the object at the end. The object sits safely in the middle field of the sentence, between the conjugated verb (zijn) and the remaining verbal parts (af aan het vegen).
What does the prefix af add to the verb vegen?
The base verb vegen means to sweep or to wipe. Adding the prefix af (which often translates to off or down) creates afvegen. This specifically means to wipe off or wipe down a surface to clean it, such as clearing crumbs or spills from a table.
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