De schade-expert controleert de vochtplek.

Because both nouns in this sentence are de-words:

• de schade-expert
• de vochtplek

In Dutch, singular nouns take either de or het as their definite article. English just uses the for everything, but Dutch splits nouns into two groups:

• de = common gender
• het = neuter gender

So here, both nouns happen to take de.

A useful extra point: in compounds, the last part usually determines the article. Since expert is a de-word, schade-expert is also a de-word.

Dutch often combines nouns into compounds, just like English does. Here:

• schade = damage
• expert = expert

So schade-expert means something like damage expert, often better translated as claims expert or damage assessor depending on context.

The hyphen is used because the second part is a noun borrowed from another language and the hyphen makes the compound easier to read. In Dutch, many compounds are written as one word, but a hyphen is sometimes added for clarity.

So this is a compound noun, not two separate words functioning independently.

Because Dutch strongly prefers compound nouns to be written as one word.

• vocht = moisture, damp
• plek = spot, place, patch

Together, vochtplek means a damp spot, moisture spot, or water stain, depending on context.

English often writes these ideas as two words, but Dutch usually joins them:

• English: water damage, moisture spot
• Dutch: often waterschade, vochtplek

So if you are thinking in English, it may feel unusual, but for Dutch this is very normal.

Because it is the present tense form for hij/zij/het or for any singular subject that is not ik.

The infinitive is controleren = to check / to inspect.

Present tense conjugation:

• ik controleer = I check
• jij controleert = you check
• hij/zij controleert = he/she checks
• de schade-expert controleert = the damage expert checks

So the -t is the normal ending for a third-person singular subject.

This is similar to English adding -s in he checks, though Dutch uses -t instead.

Because Dutch main clauses usually follow the V2 rule, which means the finite verb comes in the second position.

In this sentence:

1. De schade-expert
2. controleert
3. de vochtplek

That is the normal Dutch word order for a straightforward statement: subject + finite verb + rest

If you move another element to the front, the verb still stays second:

• Vandaag controleert de schade-expert de vochtplek.
• In de keuken controleert de schade-expert de vochtplek.

So verb-second is a very important Dutch pattern.

Literally, yes: schade means damage and expert means expert.

But in real-life usage, schade-expert often refers to someone who assesses damage for an insurance company or after an accident. Depending on context, possible English translations are:

• damage expert
• claims expert
• loss adjuster
• damage assessor

So damage expert is a good literal learning translation, but in professional contexts English may use a more specific term.

Vochtplek refers to a patch or mark caused by dampness or moisture.

Possible English translations include:

• damp spot
• moisture patch
• water stain
• damp patch

The best translation depends on context. For example:

• on a wall or ceiling: damp patch or water stain
• in a more general sense: moisture spot

So the Dutch word is slightly broader than just one fixed English translation.

A few sounds may be tricky for English speakers.

schade-expert

• sch at the start is not like English school
• In standard Dutch, sch here is usually pronounced like a hard guttural s + ch sound, roughly skh or sx depending on accent
• schade sounds approximately like SKHAA-duh
• expert is similar to English expert, but with Dutch vowels and stress

vochtplek

• vocht contains the Dutch ch, the guttural throat sound
• oe in Dutch sounds like English oo in boot
• plek sounds roughly like plek, with a short e

A rough learner-friendly approximation might be:

• schade-expert ≈ SKHAA-duh ex-PERT
• vochtplek ≈ VOKHT-plek

The hardest part is usually the Dutch ch/g sound, which does not exist in standard English.

Yes. If the nouns are indefinite, you use een:

• Een schade-expert controleert een vochtplek.

That would mean A damage expert checks a damp spot.

The original sentence uses de ... de ..., which suggests that both are specific and known in the context:

• the damage expert
• the damp spot

So the choice between de/het and een works much like the versus a/an in English, although Dutch also has to distinguish between de and het for definite singular nouns.

The plurals are:

• de schade-experts
• de vochtplekken

A few things to notice:

• the plural article is always de
• expert takes the plural -s
• plek becomes plekken with -en, and the consonant doubles to keep the vowel short

Examples:

• De schade-experts controleren de vochtplekken. = The damage experts check the damp spots.

So even if a noun is a het-word in the singular, its plural would still use de.