Breakdown of Hij heeft een burn-out en neemt dan ook verlof.
hij
he / it (referring to a 'de'-word)
een
a/an
en
and
hebben
to have
nemen
to take (general, abstract, e.g., transport, medicine)
dan ook
therefore / consequently (as expected)
de burn-out
the burnout
het verlof
the leave / the time off
Questions & Answers about Hij heeft een burn-out en neemt dan ook verlof.
How does dan ook translate to "therefore" in this sentence?
In this specific cluster, dan ook acts as a consequential particle. It shows that the second action (taking leave) is a direct, logical, and unsurprising consequence of the first statement (having a burnout). It doesn't mean "then also" in a literal time sense here; it functions like "therefore" or "consequently".
Why is dan ook placed right after the verb neemt instead of at the beginning of the clause?
The phrase en neemt dan ook verlof is a coordinated main clause. Because the subject (hij) is omitted to avoid repetition, the finite verb (neemt) comes immediately after en. Particles like dan ook are placed in the "middle field" of the sentence, which means they come after the finite verb and any subjects or objects, but before the remaining information (like verlof).
Could I use vrij instead of verlof here?
Yes, vrij nemen is very common for taking time off. However, verlof often sounds a bit more formal or official, which fits a medical or official absence like a burnout (for example, ziekteverlof for sick leave). Vrij nemen is usually used for casual, planned days off.
Why does the Dutch word burn-out have a hyphen when the English word doesn't usually need one?
Dutch spelling rules require a hyphen in compound English loanwords to separate a preposition-like part (like out, up, or in) from the verb stem. Because of this rule, words like burn-out, make-up, and lay-out are always spelled with a hyphen in Dutch, even if the original English word is not.
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