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Breakdown of Ik probeer me niet te verslapen, bijvoorbeeld door elke avond mijn wekker te zetten.
ik
I
niet
not
elke
every
mijn
my
me
myself
verslapen
to oversleep
bijvoorbeeld
for example
proberen
to try
de avond
the evening
de wekker
the alarm clock
zetten
to set
Questions & Answers about Ik probeer me niet te verslapen, bijvoorbeeld door elke avond mijn wekker te zetten.
What does verslapen mean in Dutch, and why is it used with a reflexive pronoun (me)?
In Dutch, verslapen typically means to oversleep. The verb can be reflexive, which implies that the action affects the subject itself — in other words, I oversleep myself. Hence the sentence uses me (the reflexive pronoun) to show that you are the one who ends up oversleeping.
Why is there a te before verslapen?
Many Dutch verbs require te when they follow another verb like proberen (to try). It’s a common construction in Dutch: proberen + te + [infinitive verb]. So here, te verslapen is just the infinitive form of verslapen after probeer.
What does bijvoorbeeld mean?
The word bijvoorbeeld means for example or for instance. In this sentence, it’s used to give a specific method you use to avoid oversleeping.
Why does the sentence say door elke avond mijn wekker te zetten?
In Dutch, the preposition door can introduce the means or method by which something is done. Here, door elke avond mijn wekker te zetten explains how you try not to oversleep — specifically, by setting your alarm every evening.
What is the basic word order when using this construction?
In sentences with door + te + [infinitive], the infinitive goes at the very end. So you see door (preposition) + [time expression or object] + te + [infinitive]. The sentence splits the idea into:
• Ik probeer me niet te verslapen (main action)
• bijvoorbeeld door elke avond mijn wekker te zetten (method or reason).
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