Breakdown of De docent bekritiseert de methodologie en waarschuwt hen.
de docent
the teacher
en
and
hen
them (object)
waarschuwen
to warn
bekritiseren
to criticize
de methodologie
the methodology
Questions & Answers about De docent bekritiseert de methodologie en waarschuwt hen.
Why do we use hen in this sentence instead of hun?
In formal written Dutch, there is a strict rule: use hen for direct objects and after prepositions, and use hun for indirect objects without a preposition (meaning 'to them'). Because the verb waarschuwen (to warn) takes a direct object, we must use hen.
Is the person being warned always a direct object in Dutch?
Yes, the person you warn is the direct object of waarschuwen. If you also want to mention what you are warning them about, you use the preposition voor. For example: De docent waarschuwt hen voor de fouten (The teacher warns them about the mistakes).
Why isn't the verb waarschuwt placed at the end of the sentence?
The word en (and) is a coordinating conjunction. It links two main clauses and does not push the verb to the end. The second half of this sentence is just a new main clause where the subject (de docent) is left out so it isn't repeated, leaving waarschuwt in the standard verb position.
How is the verb bekritiseert formed?
The infinitive is bekritiseren (to criticize). It comes from the noun kritiek (criticism). The suffix -iseren is often added to nouns or adjectives to create verbs, very similar to the English suffix '-ize' or '-ise'.
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