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Breakdown of Wij willen langer in het park blijven om te lezen.
wij
we
lezen
to read
in
in
het park
the park
om
for
willen
to want
blijven
to stay
langer
longer
Questions & Answers about Wij willen langer in het park blijven om te lezen.
Why is wij used here instead of we?
In Dutch, wij is the stressed form of the pronoun, and we is the unstressed form. Writers or speakers often use wij to emphasize the subject (in this case, “us”), whereas we sounds more neutral or less emphasized.
What does langer mean in this sentence?
Langer is the comparative form of lang (“long”), meaning “longer” or “for a longer time.” Here it indicates that the speakers want to stay in the park for a longer duration.
Why do we say om te lezen instead of just te lezen?
In Dutch, when describing the purpose or goal of an action, you usually use om + te + infinitive. This construction shows that the main reason they want to stay in the park is to read.
Why does te lezen come at the end of the sentence?
In Dutch, infinitive clauses (like om te lezen) are typically placed at the end of the sentence. The main part of the sentence (who does what and where) comes first, and then the om te purpose clause follows at the end.
Why is there no te after willen?
Certain Dutch modal or auxiliary verbs (such as willen, kunnen, moeten) are followed directly by the infinitive without te. In this sentence, willen is followed directly by blijven (infinitive of “to stay”), but for expressing purpose, you still use om te lezen afterward.
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