Breakdown of Krijg je de etalage toch even te zien?
zien
to see
je
you (unstressed form of jij)
krijgen
to get (receive)
toch
still, anyway (particle) / right? (question tag)
Questions & Answers about Krijg je de etalage toch even te zien?
How does the structure krijgen te zien work in this sentence, and why are the words separated?
The phrase krijgen te zien means 'to get to see' or 'to be shown'. Because this is a yes/no question, the conjugated verb Krijg goes at the very beginning. The remaining verb part, te zien, is pushed to the very end of the sentence, forming a verbal bracket around the object (de etalage) and the particles (toch even).
Could I just say Zie je de etalage instead of using krijgen te zien?
You could, but it changes the nuance. Zie je de etalage? simply means 'Do you see the shop window?'. Using the krijgen te + infinitive structure shifts the focus to receiving the opportunity to see it. It implies someone else is permitting you to see it or a chance has finally opened up.
What do the words toch even add to the meaning here?
These are modal particles that make the sentence feel more conversational. toch means 'after all' in this context, implying there was earlier doubt about whether you would get to see the window. even means 'briefly', which softens the question and makes the viewing feel like a quick, casual action.
Why is the direct object de etalage placed before the particles toch even?
In Dutch, a specific direct object (like a noun paired with the definite article de or het) usually comes before modal particles. If you were talking about a non-specific object, the particles would generally come before it.