Breakdown of De getuige legt een verklaring af.
de verklaring
the statement / the explanation
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Questions & Answers about De getuige legt een verklaring af.
Why do we use the separable verb legt ... af here instead of geeft for "gives"?
In Dutch, making or giving an official statement, confession, or oath relies on the separable verb afleggen. The fixed collocation is een verklaring afleggen. If you were to use geven, it would sound too literal, as if the witness is physically handing a piece of paper to someone.
How would we apply this lesson's grammar to say "The witness is required to give a statement"?
You would use the formal auxiliary dienen te like this: De getuige dient een verklaring af te leggen. Pay special attention to the position of te: because afleggen is a separable verb, the te must go between the prefix (af) and the base verb (leggen).
Is the word getuige exclusively used in a police or courtroom context?
While it is the standard legal term for a witness, it is also used more broadly. You use it for someone who witnesses a traffic accident, and it is also the word for a designated witness at a wedding, such as a best man or maid of honor.
What happens to the word order if we put this sentence into a subordinate clause starting with Ik zie dat...?
In a subordinate clause, all verbs are sent to the end of the sentence, which forces the separated parts of the verb to stitch back together. It would become: Ik zie dat de getuige een verklaring aflegt.