Ik nodig Anna uit.

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Breakdown of Ik nodig Anna uit.

• Anna: Anna
• uitnodigen: to invite

Questions & Answers about Ik nodig Anna uit.

Why is the separable particle uit placed at the end of the sentence?

In Dutch, many verbs are separable. The base verb in its infinitive is uitnodigen, but in main clauses the prefix uit is detached and moved to the end. Thus, instead of saying ik uitnodigen Anna, you say ik nodig Anna uit.

What exactly is a separable verb, using uitnodigen as an example?

A separable verb is composed of a main verb part and a prefix that can split off in main clauses. In this case, the main part is nodigen (to invite) and the prefix is uit. In the infinitive they are written together as uitnodigen, but in a main clause, the conjugated form is placed before the object and the prefix is moved to the end.

How does the conjugation work in ik nodig Anna uit?

The subject ik (meaning “I”) requires the first person singular form of the verb. For regular verbs like uitnodigen, the form becomes nodig when combined with ik. The complete sentence places the object Anna between the conjugated verb and the separated prefix uit.

Can the structure of the sentence change in subordinate clauses?

Yes, it can. In subordinate clauses, the separable particle usually remains attached to the verb at the end or the complete infinitive appears together. For example, instead of ik nodig Anna uit, you might see ...omdat ik Anna uitnodig. The word order differs because Dutch subordinate clauses follow different syntactic rules.

What is the word order pattern used in ik nodig Anna uit?

The sentence follows the typical Dutch main clause word order: Subject – Conjugated Verb – Object – Separable Particle. Here, ik is the subject, nodig is the conjugated form of the verb, Anna is the direct object, and uit is the separable prefix placed at the end.