Breakdown of Op die verdieping staat een grote tafel, en we kunnen daar meteen beginnen met onze bespreking.
wij
we
en
and
de tafel
the table
die
that
met
with
onze
our
staan
to stand
daar
there
kunnen
can
op
on
de verdieping
the floor
groot
large
meteen
right away
beginnen
to start
de bespreking
the discussion
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Questions & Answers about Op die verdieping staat een grote tafel, en we kunnen daar meteen beginnen met onze bespreking.
What does Op die verdieping mean, and what is its function in the sentence?
It means "on that floor". This prepositional phrase sets the location where the action takes place, indicating that the big table is situated on a specific floor.
Why does the subject een grote tafel come after the verb staat in the first clause?
In Dutch, when a sentence begins with an adverbial element such as Op die verdieping, the finite verb is placed in the second position. This V2 word order leads to the subject (een grote tafel) appearing after the verb (staat).
What is the role of the word die in Op die verdieping?
Die is a demonstrative determiner that translates to "that". It specifies a particular floor, implying that the floor is already known or has been mentioned in the context.
Why is groot inflected as grote in een grote tafel?
In Dutch, adjectives preceding a noun that is governed by an indefinite article typically take the -e ending if the noun is a common gender word (a de-woord). Since tafel falls into that category, groot becomes grote.
How does the modal verb kunnen function in the sentence?
Kunnen means "can" or "be able to". It expresses the possibility or ability to begin immediately, telling us that starting the discussion is allowed or feasible under the circumstances.
What is the meaning and role of daar in the second clause?
Daar means "there". It refers back to the previously mentioned location (Op die verdieping), reinforcing that the action—beginning the discussion—will take place at that same location.
What does the phrase met onze bespreking indicate in the sentence?
It translates to "with our discussion". The preposition met means "with", and the phrase as a whole specifies the activity that will be started. In Dutch, it’s common to use the construction beginnen met to denote starting an activity.
How are the two clauses in the sentence connected, and what does that tell us about Dutch sentence structure?
The clauses are joined by the coordinating conjunction en, meaning "and". Each clause follows the Dutch V2 rule independently: the first clause starts with a prepositional phrase followed by the finite verb, while the second clause begins with the subject and includes a modal construction. This demonstrates how Dutch sentences often maintain the verb-second order even in compound structures.