Breakdown of De helling dreigt te bezwijken.
de helling
the slope
dreigen te
to threaten to / to be at risk of
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Questions & Answers about De helling dreigt te bezwijken.
Does dreigen te mean the slope is making a literal threat?
No, the slope isn't sentient. In this lesson's context, dreigen te functions as an auxiliary of imminence. It means that something bad is at risk of happening or is in danger of occurring soon. The slope is simply on the verge of collapsing.
What is the exact meaning of bezwijken here, and can it be used for people?
Bezwijken means to collapse, succumb, or give way under pressure. For a physical structure like de helling (the slope), it means it is about to crumble. It is also commonly used for people, such as when someone succumbs to stress, heavy burdens, or temptation.
Why do we need the word te before bezwijken?
When dreigen is used as an auxiliary verb to indicate that an action is imminent, it follows the rule of requiring te plus the infinitive of the main verb (bezwijken). It behaves differently than basic modal verbs like zullen or kunnen, which connect directly to a bare infinitive without te.
The English translation says 'threatens to give way'. Can I also translate this as 'is at risk of collapsing'?
Yes, absolutely! Translating dreigt te as 'is at risk of' or 'is in danger of' is often much more natural in English than the literal 'threatens to', because it perfectly captures the impending negative event that this grammar structure conveys.