Breakdown of Aan de hand van deze cijfers is de koopkracht gedaald.
de koopkracht
the purchasing power
aan de hand van
on the basis of / using
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Dutch grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Aan de hand van deze cijfers is de koopkracht gedaald.
The lesson is about using blijken uit, so why does this sentence use aan de hand van to cite evidence?
Both phrases are used to cite sources or evidence, but their grammar differs. Blijken uit translates to 'to become apparent from' and acts as the main verb, usually followed by a dat clause (e.g., Uit de cijfers blijkt dat de koopkracht is gedaald). Aan de hand van is a prepositional phrase meaning 'on the basis of', allowing you to state the conclusion directly as the main clause.
Does aan de hand van literally translate to 'at the hand of'?
Literally, yes, but it is a very common fixed expression meaning 'on the basis of', 'judging by', or 'by means of'. You will frequently see it used alongside data, documents, or instructions.
Why is the verb is placed before the subject de koopkracht?
Why does the perfect tense of dalen use is here instead of heeft?
Dalen (to fall or decrease) expresses a change of state. As a quick refresher: in Dutch, verbs that indicate a change of state or a directed motion take zijn (to be) rather than hebben (to have) as their auxiliary verb in the perfect tenses.