Breakdown of Ze meent doorslaggevend bewijs te bezitten.
ze
they; she (unstressed form of zij) / them (object)
te
to (infinitive marker)
het bewijs
the evidence
bezitten
to own / to possess
Questions & Answers about Ze meent doorslaggevend bewijs te bezitten.
How does meent mean 'claims' here? I thought it meant 'to mean'.
While menen often means 'to be serious' (like ik meen het) or 'to hold an opinion', when it is paired with te plus an infinitive (te bezitten), it specifically expresses a subjective claim. It translates well to 'claims to' or 'firmly believes to', often implying that the speaker or writer isn't entirely convinced it is true.
Where does the word doorslaggevend come from?
It comes from the expression de doorslag geven, which means 'to tip the balance' or 'to be the deciding factor'. By turning it into a present participle (doorslaggevend), it becomes an adjective meaning 'decisive' or 'conclusive'.
Why doesn't doorslaggevend get an -e ending here?
The word bewijs is a het-word (het bewijs). Because it is used here without any article at all (it is indefinite, meaning just 'conclusive evidence' rather than 'the conclusive evidence'), the adjective placed right before it drops the -e ending.
Could I use hebben instead of bezitten in this sentence?
Yes, using te hebben would also be perfectly correct and natural. bezitten specifically means 'to possess' and sounds a bit more formal or official, which perfectly fits the somewhat legal tone of discussing 'conclusive evidence'.