Breakdown of Moeten we het logo linksboven of middenonder uitlijnen?
moeten
to have to, must
of
or
we
we (unstressed form of wij)
het logo
the logo
linksboven
top left
uitlijnen
to align
middenonder
bottom center
Questions & Answers about Moeten we het logo linksboven of middenonder uitlijnen?
Why does Dutch say linksboven instead of bovenlinks for "top left"?
When forming compound locative adverbs in Dutch, the horizontal position (links, rechts, midden) almost always comes before the vertical position (boven, onder). So "top left" is literally formed as "left-top" (linksboven).
Does "bottom center" translate as middenonder using the same rule?
Yes, exactly! The horizontal placement (midden, meaning center or middle) precedes the vertical placement (onder, meaning under or bottom). Therefore, "bottom center" becomes middenonder.
Is uitlijnen a separable verb? Why isn't it split up here?
Uitlijnen (to align) is indeed a separable verb (uit + lijnen). However, because this sentence uses the modal verb moeten (must/have to), the main verb is pushed to the very end of the clause in its full infinitive form. When an infinitive sits at the end of a sentence like this, the prefix stays attached to the verb.
Why are the adverbs linksboven and middenonder placed after the object het logo?
In Dutch word order, specific adverbs of place or direction typically go after a specific direct object (like het logo). They sit as close as possible to the verb at the end (uitlijnen) because they are tightly connected to the action, defining exactly where the aligning should happen.
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