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Questions & Answers about Ik ga afwassen na het eten.
What does the sentence "Ik ga afwassen na het eten" mean in English?
It means "I am going to do the dishes after eating." Although you already know the meaning, this translation shows that the speaker intends to clean up (wash the dishes) once the meal is finished.
What does the compound verb afwassen specifically mean, and why isn’t the object explicitly mentioned?
Afwassen literally means “to wash off,” but in everyday Dutch it is used idiomatically to mean “to do the dishes” or “to wash up.” The dishes are understood from context, so there’s no need to mention an explicit object.
Why is gaan used together with an infinitive in this sentence?
In Dutch, using gaan plus an infinitive is a common way to express a future intention or planned action—similar to the English "am going to" structure. So, "Ik ga afwassen" conveys that the speaker plans to wash up in the near future.
What role does the preposition na play in the phrase na het eten?
Na means “after” in Dutch. In the sentence, it sets a time frame by indicating that the dishwashing will take place after the meal (het eten) is finished.
Why is the definite article het used before eten, and what does it indicate about the noun?
In Dutch, the noun eten (meaning “meal” or “eating”) is neuter, so it takes the definite article het. This usage signals that the sentence refers to a particular eating event or meal.
Could you use zal instead of ga to express the future, and what nuance does that change introduce?
Yes, you could say "Ik zal afwassen na het eten." Using zal is another way to form the future tense in Dutch. However, "ga" emphasizes a personal plan or intention (much like the English "am going to"), whereas "zal" can come off as slightly more formal or detached.