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Questions & Answers about Anna houdt van muziek.
Why is the verb written as houdt instead of houden in this sentence?
In Dutch, when you use the verb houden with a third person singular subject like Anna, you add a -t to the stem. The stem is hou, and adding the -t gives you houdt. This follows the standard rule for conjugating verbs in the present tense in Dutch.
Why do we use the preposition van after houdt?
The expression houden van is an idiomatic phrase in Dutch that means "to love". The preposition van is an integral part of this phrase and is required for the expression to work correctly. It doesn’t translate directly as "of" in English; rather, it helps form the fixed expression that conveys the idea of love or strong liking.
Does the sentence follow the typical Dutch word order?
Yes, the sentence Anna houdt van muziek follows the common Dutch main clause word order, which is generally Subject – Verb – (Prepositional Phrase/Object). Anna is the subject, houdt is the verb, and van muziek functions as the complement. This straightforward order is typical for declarative sentences in Dutch.
Are the words houden and houden van considered separable or inseparable in Dutch?
The phrase houden van is inseparable; that is, its components cannot be split up in the sentence. Unlike some Dutch verbs where the prefix can be moved to the end of the sentence in certain constructions, the van in houden van stays attached to houden to convey the correct meaning of "to love".
Is there an alternative way to say "Anna loves music" in Dutch?
Yes, another common expression is Anna is dol op muziek. Here, is dol op is used to express a strong liking or passion for something, similar to "to love" in English. While both phrases are correct, houden van is more commonly used to indicate general affection, whereas is dol op can sometimes imply a more enthusiastic or intense fondness.
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