Breakdown of Wij onderzoeken in hoeverre zij de gigabytes verbruiken.
wij
we
zij
they
onderzoeken
to investigate
in hoeverre
to what extent
de gigabyte
the gigabyte
verbruiken
to consume / to use up (energy, resources)
Questions & Answers about Wij onderzoeken in hoeverre zij de gigabytes verbruiken.
Why is the verb verbruiken placed at the very end of the sentence?
The phrase in hoeverre introduces an indirect question, which functions as a subordinate clause. In Dutch, subordinate clauses trigger verb-final word order, pushing the conjugated verb (verbruiken) to the very end of the clause.
What is the literal meaning of in hoeverre?
It is written as two words: the preposition in and the single word hoeverre. Literally, it translates to 'in how far', which is the standard Dutch equivalent for the English phrase 'to what extent'.
Why does the sentence use verbruiken instead of the more common verb gebruiken?
While gebruiken simply means 'to use', the prefix ver- here adds the meaning of using something until it is gone. Verbruiken means 'to consume' or 'to use up'. Since data plans involve a limited allowance of gigabytes that gets depleted, verbruiken accurately describes consuming that resource.
How would this sentence change if we were investigating how many gigabytes they use?
You would replace in hoeverre with hoeveel and drop the definite article de. The sentence would become Wij onderzoeken hoeveel gigabytes zij verbruiken. Using in hoeverre focuses on the degree or habit of their consumption rather than just counting the exact numerical amount.
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