Breakdown of Vraag naar de naam van de docent.
de docent
the teacher
de naam
the name
vragen naar
to ask about / after
Questions & Answers about Vraag naar de naam van de docent.
Why is it just Vraag and not Vraagt or Vragen?
This sentence is a command, which uses the imperative mood. In Dutch, you give a command by simply using the stem of the verb (the ik form) without a subject. The stem of vragen (to ask) is vraag.
Doesn't naar usually mean 'to'? Why is it translated as 'for' here?
You are right that naar usually means 'to' when talking about directions. However, many Dutch verbs are paired with specific prepositions. The fixed combination for 'to ask for' or 'to inquire about' something is vragen naar.
Why is it de naam van de docent instead of de docent's naam?
While Dutch does sometimes use an 's to show possession, using van (of) is much more common and natural in everyday speech. So, 'the teacher's name' is phrased as de naam van de docent (literally: the name of the teacher).
I learned the word leraar for teacher. What is the difference between leraar and docent?
Both words mean teacher! Leraar is very common for primary and secondary school teachers. Docent is a slightly more formal word that can refer to high school teachers, but is also used for college or university instructors (lecturers).
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