Breakdown of Tom kookt een maaltijd met basilicum.
Tom
Tom
koken
to cook
met
with
de maaltijd
the meal
het basilicum
the basil
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Questions & Answers about Tom kookt een maaltijd met basilicum.
What does kookt mean, and how is it conjugated in this sentence?
Kookt is the third-person singular present tense form of the verb koken, which means to cook. In Dutch, as in English, the verb is conjugated to agree with its subject. Here, because the subject is Tom (a singular noun), the verb takes the -t ending.
Why is there no article before basilicum in the phrase met basilicum?
In Dutch, when referring to an ingredient or a substance in a general sense, it is common to omit the article. Similar to English expressions like "with salt" or "with basil," basilicum (basil) is used without an article to indicate an indefinite or general amount rather than a specific one.
What role does the preposition met play in this sentence?
The preposition met directly translates to "with" in English. It indicates that basilicum is an ingredient used in preparing the meal. Its usage here shows association or accompaniment, much like "with" does in English.
Why is the indefinite article een used before maaltijd?
The word een is the Dutch equivalent of the English "a" or "an." It introduces maaltijd (meal) as an unspecified or generic instance, signifying that Tom is cooking one meal rather than referring to a particular meal.
Is the structure of the sentence Tom kookt een maaltijd met basilicum similar to that of an English sentence?
Yes, it is. The sentence follows a Subject-Verb-Object pattern, which is very similar to the typical structure of an English declarative sentence, like "Tom cooks a meal with basil." This similarity helps ease comprehension for English speakers learning Dutch.