Learn Dutch: Naar wij vernemen, is er een intern onderzoek. - As we understand it, there is an internal investigation.

Naar wij vernemen, is er een intern onderzoek.

As we understand it, there is an internal investigation.

Breakdown of Naar wij vernemen, is er een intern onderzoek.

Questions & Answers about Naar wij vernemen, is er een intern onderzoek.

How does the word naar function at the start of this sentence?

Here, naar is used as a conjunction meaning "according to what" or "as far as." It introduces a framing clause with a subject (wij) and a cognitive verb (vernemen) to indicate the source of the information.

What is the exact meaning of the verb vernemen here?

Vernemen is a slightly formal verb that means "to hear," "to learn," or "to receive information." In this phrase, it translates best to "understand" or "hear," as in "from what we hear."

Why does the main clause use inversion (is er instead of er is)?

The introductory clause Naar wij vernemen takes up the first position in the sentence. In Dutch, this forces the verb in the main clause to come second, causing inversion of the verb (is) and the provisional subject (er).

Why doesn't the adjective intern get an -e ending?

Onderzoek is a neuter noun (het onderzoek). When a het-word is preceded by the indefinite article een, the adjective before it remains uninflected and does not get an -e ending.