Breakdown of Wij krijgen te horen hoe we onopvallend moeten observeren.
wij
we
hoe
how
horen
to hear
moeten
to have to, must
we
we (unstressed form of wij)
krijgen
to get (receive)
te
to (infinitive marker)
onopvallend
inconspicuous
observeren
to observe (to watch)
Questions & Answers about Wij krijgen te horen hoe we onopvallend moeten observeren.
What exactly does krijgen te horen mean here?
It is a common construction that translates to "get to hear" or "to be told". The structure krijgen te + an infinitive like horen, zien, or weten is specifically used to express receiving information or finding something out.
Why are the verbs moeten observeren placed at the very end of the sentence?
The word hoe (how) introduces a subordinate clause. In Dutch subordinate clauses, the conjugated verb and any other verbs in the cluster are always pushed to the end of the clause.
Is it possible to say observeren moeten instead of moeten observeren?
Yes! At the end of a subordinate clause, a conjugated modal verb like moeten and an infinitive like observeren can be placed in either order. Both are completely correct, though placing the conjugated modal verb first is slightly more common in everyday spoken Dutch.
How can I break down the word onopvallend to remember its meaning?
It consists of the prefix on- (meaning un- or not) and the word opvallend (striking or noticeable), which comes from the separable verb opvallen (to stand out). Together, it translates to unnoticeably or inconspicuously.
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