Breakdown of We proberen het testament van onze vader te respecteren.
de vader
the father
onze
our (de-words, plurals)
proberen
to try
van
from (possession, starting point) / made of
Questions & Answers about We proberen het testament van onze vader te respecteren.
Why is het testament used here for "the will" instead of de wil?
In Dutch, de wil refers to someone's volition, desire, or willpower. When you are talking about the legal document outlining what happens after someone dies (a "last will and testament"), you must use the specific vocabulary word het testament.
Why does te respecteren go at the very end of the sentence?
The main verb proberen (to try) requires a te + infinitive construction. In standard Dutch word order, this infinitive phrase is pushed to the end of the clause, meaning the direct object (het testament van onze vader) must be placed between proberen and te respecteren.
Could we keep the English word order and say "We proberen te respecteren het testament..."?
No, that would be incorrect. While English keeps the conjugated verb and the infinitive together ("try to respect"), Dutch uses them like brackets. The main verb (proberen) comes early, and the te + infinitive (te respecteren) closes the sentence, wrapping around the object.
Why is it onze vader instead of ons vader, since it's connected to het testament?