Questions & Answers about De cocktail wordt aan de bar geserveerd.
Since the lesson covers passive subject restrictions, how would we translate 'I am served the cocktail at the bar'?
This is where Dutch is stricter than English! In standard Dutch, you cannot make the indirect object (like 'me') the subject using worden. You cannot say Ik word de cocktail geserveerd. Instead, you must use the verb krijgen (to get) for this type of passive: Ik krijg de cocktail aan de bar geserveerd.
Why is de cocktail allowed to be the subject here?
Because de cocktail is the direct object. It is the actual item being served. In a Dutch passive sentence formed with worden, only the direct object from the active voice sentence can be promoted to become the new subject.
Why do we use the preposition aan for 'at the bar' instead of bij?
You use aan when you are positioned right up against a surface for its intended purpose, such as drinking or eating. You sit aan de bar (at the bar) and aan tafel (at the table). Using bij de bar would just mean you are standing somewhere near it.
Why are the verbs split up, with geserveerd at the very end?
In a Dutch main clause, the conjugated auxiliary verb (wordt) takes the second position, while the past participle (geserveerd) is pushed to the very end of the clause. This forms a verbal bracket that surrounds the other details, like the location (aan de bar).
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