Breakdown of Ik heb angst voor mijn werk.
ik
I
hebben
to have
voor
for
mijn
my
het werk
the work
de angst
the fear
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Questions & Answers about Ik heb angst voor mijn werk.
What does the sentence Ik heb angst voor mijn werk mean in English?
It literally translates to I have fear for my work, which is most naturally expressed in English as I'm afraid of my job. This means the speaker experiences fear or anxiety related to their work.
Why is the preposition voor used in this sentence?
The preposition voor is used to indicate the target or source of the fear. Much like in English where we say afraid of, in Dutch voor helps clarify that the fear is directed of my work (i.e., voor mijn werk).
What is the difference between using angst in this sentence and the adjective bang in a similar sentence?
Angst is a noun meaning fear, which is why it is used after the verb heb (to have). In contrast, bang is an adjective meaning scared. So while Ik heb angst voor mijn werk (I have fear for my work) and Ik ben bang voor mijn werk (I am scared of my work) have the same general meaning, the choice affects the sentence structure and formality. The first sounds slightly more formal or literary, whereas the second is more common in everyday speech.
How is the sentence Ik heb angst voor mijn werk structured grammatically?
The sentence follows a straightforward Dutch structure: Ik is the subject (I), heb is the first-person singular form of the verb hebben (to have), angst is the noun object (fear), and voor mijn werk is a prepositional phrase specifying the cause of the fear. This order is typical in simple Dutch statements.
Can this sentence be modified to sound more colloquial, and if so, how?
Yes, it can. A more colloquial version would be Ik ben bang voor mijn werk, which uses the adjective bang (scared) instead of the noun angst (fear). Both sentences express a similar sentiment, but Ik ben bang voor mijn werk is more commonly used in everyday conversation.
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