Learn Hardcore Dutch: Wij willen het verhaal levend houden door het vaak samen te lezen. - We want to keep the story alive by reading it together often.

In Dutch, door ... te often indicates how you achieve or maintain something. It literally means “by … doing (something).” Here, it explains that reading the story together frequently is the method by which you keep the story alive.

Why do we say levend houden instead of something like in leven houden?

Both expressions can mean “to keep something alive,” but levend houden is more figurative, focusing on keeping the topic or idea full of life and energy. In leven houden is often more literal, like physically keeping something alive.

What does vaak modify in this sentence, and why is it placed before samen te lezen?

Vaak modifies how frequently the reading happens. In Dutch, adverbs often appear before an infinitive phrase. So door het vaak samen te lezen lets you know that reading together happens frequently.

Is the word order in Wij willen het verhaal levend houden flexible?

Dutch word order can sometimes be rearranged, but Wij willen het verhaal levend houden is the most natural phrasing. You could say Wij willen levend het verhaal houden, but that would sound awkward or poetic. Usually you keep the object (het verhaal) together with the infinitive phrase (levend houden).

What does samen emphasize in the phrase het vaak samen te lezen?

It highlights the idea of reading the story together instead of alone. It adds the nuance that multiple people are participating in reading the story collectively, which helps keep it more engaging and lively.