Breakdown of Hij meent de waarheid te spreken, maar zijn claim is ongegrond.
zijn
to be
hij
he / it (referring to a 'de'-word)
maar
but
de waarheid
the truth
te
to (infinitive marker)
spreken
to speak (a language) / to speak (give a statement / speak for someone)
menen
to claim / to believe (to be true)
de claim
claim
ongegrond
unfounded
Questions & Answers about Hij meent de waarheid te spreken, maar zijn claim is ongegrond.
Why does menen translate to "claims" here instead of "means"?
You likely already know menen as "to mean" or "to be serious about" (as in ik meen het). However, in the specific structure menen te + infinitive, it expresses a subjective claim or a firm belief. Here, hij meent ... te spreken means he claims or firmly believes he is speaking the truth.
Where exactly does the te spreken go in this sentence structure?
In Dutch, the te + infinitive part of this construction is pushed to the end of the clause. Any direct objects or modifiers, like de waarheid in this case, must be placed between the conjugated verb (meent) and the infinitive phrase (te spreken).
Is claim a normal Dutch word, or just an English loanword?
It is an English loanword, but it is fully integrated and very common in modern Dutch. It is used just like a native noun, and there is even a Dutch verb form: claimen. If you prefer a native Dutch equivalent for this sentence, you could use bewering.
How is the adjective ongegrond formed?
It is formed by combining the negative prefix on- (meaning un- or in-) with the adjective gegrond (meaning founded or well-reasoned). Since gegrond comes from the noun grond (ground or reason), ongegrond translates literally to "unfounded" or "groundless".
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