Breakdown of Wij denken de economische groei verbetert de welvaart.
wij
we
denken
to think
verbeteren
to improve
economisch
economic
de welvaart
the prosperity
de groei
the growth
Questions & Answers about Wij denken de economische groei verbetert de welvaart.
Why is there no dat (that) here, and why isn't the verb verbetert at the end of the sentence?
You were probably taught that dependent clauses must start with dat and send the verb to the end, like this: Wij denken dat de economische groei de welvaart verbetert. However, in spoken or informal Dutch, verbs of thinking or saying (like denken, vinden, or zeggen) can simply be followed by a regular main clause. It works exactly like dropping the word "that" in English!
If I want to include dat, is that still correct?
Yes, and it is actually the more standard and formal way to write it. Just remember that if you add dat, you must use the standard dependent clause word order and move the verb to the end: Wij denken dat de economische groei de welvaart verbetert.
What is the difference between welvaart and welzijn?
Welvaart refers specifically to material wealth, economic prosperity, and financial standard of living. Welzijn, on the other hand, means well-being in terms of health, happiness, and general welfare. Economic growth (economische groei) is directly tied to welvaart.
How is the verb verbetert formed?
It comes from the adjective beter (better). In Dutch, adding the prefix ver- to an adjective often creates a verb meaning "to make something more [adjective]." So verbeteren means to make better, or to improve. You can see the same pattern in vergroten (to enlarge, from groot) and vernieuwen (to renew, from nieuw).
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