Breakdown of Richt de tekst linksboven uit.
linksboven
top left
uitlijnen
to align
richten
to aim / to direct
Questions & Answers about Richt de tekst linksboven uit.
English says "top left", but the Dutch word is linksboven (left top). Is this order fixed?
Yes, in Dutch compound directions, the horizontal direction (links or rechts) always comes before the vertical one (boven or onder). So "bottom right" becomes rechtsonder and "top left" is always linksboven.
What is the full verb for "to align" in this sentence, and why is it split?
The verb is uitrichten (to align). Because this sentence is an imperative (a command), the main part of the verb (richt) goes at the beginning, and the separable prefix (uit) is pushed to the very end of the clause.
Why is linksboven placed before the prefix uit?
In Dutch main clauses, the separable prefix almost always goes at the absolute end. Location adverbs like linksboven belong in the middle field of the sentence, so they must come before the prefix.
The English translation says "to the top left", but there is no preposition in the Dutch sentence. Why is that?
The verb uitrichten directly takes a location adverb to state where the text should sit. Adding a preposition of movement like naar (naar linksboven) would sound like you are physically moving the text towards a destination, rather than just setting its alignment.
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