Breakdown of De sleepdienst berekent de kosten voor de overtreding.
voor
for (on behalf of)
berekenen
to calculate
de overtreding
the violation
de sleepdienst
the towing service
de kosten
the costs
Questions & Answers about De sleepdienst berekent de kosten voor de overtreding.
What is the difference between rekenen and berekenen here?
The verb rekenen generally means to do math or to count in a broad sense. The verb berekenen means to compute a specific amount, figure out a price, or charge a fee. Because the towing service is computing the specific fee for the violation, berekenen is the correct choice.
How is the word overtreding formed, and does it literally mean 'stepping over'?
Yes! It comes from the separable verb overtreden, which literally means to step over (over + treden). Just like the English word transgress (which comes from Latin for stepping across), crossing a legal boundary or rule in Dutch becomes a violation or infraction (de overtreding).
Is the word kosten (costs) always plural in Dutch?
When talking about financial expenses, charges, or fees, Dutch almost exclusively uses the plural form de kosten. You will rarely see the singular noun used this way, except in fixed expressions like de kost verdienen (to earn a living).
Since this lesson is about the conjunction daar (since/seeing that), how would I say: 'Since the towing service calculates the costs, I have to pay'?
You would say: Daar de sleepdienst de kosten voor de overtreding berekent, moet ik betalen. Because daar is a subordinating conjunction, it pushes the conjugated verb (berekent) to the end of its clause. The main clause then begins with the verb (moet) to satisfy the standard V2 inversion rule.
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