Learn Dutch: We hoeven het rolluik alleen maar dicht te doen. - We only have to close the roller blind.

The verb hoeven means "to need to" or "to have to," but it is strictly used in negative sentences or with limiting words like alleen maar (only). Because we are saying "we only have to," hoeven is the correct choice instead of moeten.

Why is there a te before the verb? Wouldn't we just say "We hoeven het rolluik alleen maar dichtdoen"?

Unlike true modal verbs such as moeten, kunnen, or willen, which connect directly to a bare infinitive (e.g., We moeten het dichtdoen), the verb hoeven always requires te before the infinitive it pairs with at the end of the clause.

How does the split in dicht te doen relate to the split in aan het constructions we are learning about?

The verb dichtdoen (to close) is a separable verb. When paired with te, the prefix (dicht) breaks off and goes right before te doen. This follows the exact same logic as the spoken-language split you're learning about for continuous forms (dicht aan het doen): the separable prefix is placed before the grammatical particle, while the root verb goes at the very end.

How do we know it is het rolluik and not de rolluik?