Word
De monteur is bezig met de rem.
Meaning
The mechanic is busy with the brake.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
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Questions & Answers about De monteur is bezig met de rem.
Why use is bezig met instead of just saying the mechanic is working?
While you could use a continuous form like is aan de rem aan het werken (is working on the brake), using is bezig met (is busy with) strongly emphasizes that this specific task is occupying the mechanic's attention right now. It is a very common and natural way in Dutch to say someone is in the middle of a task.
How would I change this sentence to say the mechanic is busy repairing the brake?
To add an action verb like repareren (to repair), you drop met and use te + the infinitive verb at the end of the sentence. It becomes: De monteur is bezig de rem te repareren.
Why is the preposition met required here?
You need met (with) because you are connecting the state of being busy to a specific noun object (de rem). If you only wanted to say the mechanic is busy in general, you would leave the preposition out and just say: De monteur is bezig.
What kind of mechanic is a monteur?
A monteur is a broad term for a mechanic, technician, or fitter. Depending on the context, this could be an auto mechanic (automonteur) or a bicycle mechanic (fietsenmaker or fietsmonteur). The word comes from the verb monteren, which means to assemble or install.