Ik schenk koffie in.

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Breakdown of Ik schenk koffie in.

• de koffie: the coffee
• inschenken: to pour

Questions & Answers about Ik schenk koffie in.

What does the Dutch sentence Ik schenk koffie in. mean in English?

It means I pour (or serve) coffee. The sentence indicates that the speaker is pouring coffee, typically as part of serving it.

Why is the particle in placed at the end of the sentence?

In Dutch, many verbs are separable, meaning they consist of a base verb and a prefix. In the case of inschenken (to pour/serve), the prefix in separates from the base verb schenken in main clauses and is placed at the end of the sentence.

Can you explain what a separable verb is, using inschenken as an example?

A separable verb in Dutch is made up of a base verb and a prefix that can detach from the verb in certain sentence structures. For example, with inschenken, the base verb is schenken (to pour/serve) and in is the prefix. In a main clause, like Ik schenk koffie in, the prefix is moved to the end, whereas in subordinate clauses, the verb usually remains intact.

Is it acceptable to say Ik schenk in koffie instead of Ik schenk koffie in?

No, that word order is not correct in a main clause. When using a separable verb like inschenken in a main clause, the prefix in must appear at the end, resulting in Ik schenk koffie in. In subordinate clauses the verb generally stays together (e.g., omdat ik koffie inschenk).