Breakdown of Wij veronderstellen de gezelligheid is belangrijk.
zijn
to be
wij
we
belangrijk
important
de gezelligheid
the coziness
veronderstellen
to assume
Questions & Answers about Wij veronderstellen de gezelligheid is belangrijk.
Wait, shouldn't the verb is be at the very end of the sentence?
In standard written Dutch, yes. You would normally say Wij veronderstellen dat de gezelligheid belangrijk is, using a subordinate clause with the verb at the end. However, this sentence drops the word dat (that), which is very common in spoken Dutch after verbs of thought or speech. When you drop dat, the following clause reverts to standard main clause word order, putting the verb is in the second position.
Is veronderstellen common in the casual spoken Dutch that usually uses this dropped-dat grammar?
It is actually a bit formal. In everyday casual conversation, a Dutch speaker would more likely say Wij gaan ervan uit (we assume) or simply Wij denken (we think). However, it is quite normal to hear people mixing slightly formal vocabulary like veronderstellen with informal spoken grammar like dropping dat during business meetings or academic discussions.
Why is there a de before gezelligheid? In English, we just say "coziness" without "the" here.
Dutch frequently uses definite articles (de or het) before abstract nouns when talking about a concept in a general or specific context. In this sentence, they are likely talking about the specific atmosphere of a workplace, event, or group, making de gezelligheid a tangible, specific element rather than just a vague idea.
What is the literal breakdown of the long verb veronderstellen?
It is built from onder (under) and stellen (to place or put), combined with the prefix ver-. It maps perfectly to the English word "suppose", which also comes from Latin roots meaning "to place under". Recognizing this structural similarity makes long Dutch verbs much easier to memorize at this level!
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