Breakdown of De grondwet beperkt de macht van het parlement.
het parlement
the parliament
de grondwet
the constitution
de macht
the power
Questions & Answers about De grondwet beperkt de macht van het parlement.
Why use macht rather than kracht to translate "power" here?
In Dutch, macht refers to authority, control, or political power, which fits the context of a parliament. Kracht, on the other hand, refers to physical strength, force, or energy (like a strong wind or muscular power).
Could we say het parlements macht instead of de macht van het parlement?
While Dutch does have an -s possessive, it is mostly used for people (like Anna's auto). For institutions, abstract concepts, and inanimate objects, using van is much more natural. De macht van het parlement is the standard way to phrase this.
How would the word order work if we followed this with a sentence starting with the connector niettemin (nevertheless)?
Because niettemin is an adverb rather than a coordinating conjunction (like maar), putting it at the beginning of the next sentence triggers inversion (the verb comes before the subject). For example: Niettemin heeft de minister veel invloed (Nevertheless, the minister has a lot of influence).
What is the literal translation of grondwet?
It is a compound of grond (ground, base, or foundation) and wet (law). So, the constitution is literally the "foundational law" of the country.
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