Ik moet mijn eigen boek lezen.

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Breakdown of Ik moet mijn eigen boek lezen.

• het boek: the book
• lezen: to read
• mijn: my
• moeten: must
• eigen: own

Questions & Answers about Ik moet mijn eigen boek lezen.

Why is moet used in this sentence instead of heb or ben?

In Dutch, moet is the present-tense form of the modal verb moeten, which means must or have to. It expresses obligation or necessity. Meanwhile, heb and ben are forms of hebben (to have) and zijn (to be), which wouldn’t convey the same sense of necessity here.

What does mijn eigen mean, and why is it used instead of just mijn?

Mijn eigen literally means my own. Using mijn eigen boek emphasizes that it belongs personally to the speaker. If you said mijn boek, it would also mean my book, but without adding that extra emphasis on ownership or possession.

Why does the sentence end with lezen?

In Dutch main clauses, the finite (conjugated) verb typically goes in second position (moet in this case), and any infinitive verbs (like lezen) go to the end. This word order rule is consistent across Dutch sentences with modal verbs.

Is it common to use moet with infinitives?

Yes. When using modal verbs like moeten, kunnen (can), or willen (want) in Dutch, the main action verb (in this case, lezen) remains in the infinitive form and goes to the end of the clause.

Can I say Ik moet mijn eigen boekje lezen if it is a small book or booklet?

Absolutely. Boekje is the diminutive form of boek, adding the ending -je to indicate something smaller or more endearing. The rest of the sentence structure remains the same.