Breakdown of Leg dat briefje op tafel en pak een zakdoek om je neus te snuiten als je verkouden bent.
zijn
to be
en
and
de tafel
the table
dat
that
om
for
pakken
to grab
als
if
je
you
een
a, an
op
on
leggen
to place
je
your
het briefje
the note
de zakdoek
the handkerchief
de neus
the nose
snuiten
to blow
verkouden
cold
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Questions & Answers about Leg dat briefje op tafel en pak een zakdoek om je neus te snuiten als je verkouden bent.
What is the role of the verbs leg and pak in this sentence?
They are in the imperative mood. Leg (from leggen) means “put” or “place,” and pak (from pakken) means “grab” or “take.” The sentence is giving direct commands: first to put the note on the table, and then to grab a handkerchief.
Why is the word briefje used instead of brief?
The suffix -je creates a diminutive form in Dutch, often indicating small size or a casual tone. Briefje translates as “note” or “small letter,” implying that it’s a short or informal message rather than a formal letter.
What does the phrase op tafel tell us about the action in the sentence?
Op tafel means “on the table” and specifies the location where the note should be placed. It tells you exactly where the action of putting the note should occur.
How is the phrase om je neus te snuiten constructed, and what does it express?
This phrase is built using the om… te construction, which is used to indicate purpose in Dutch. It literally means “in order to blow your nose,” providing the reason why you need to grab a handkerchief.
What does the clause als je verkouden bent mean, and how is it structured?
Als je verkouden bent means “if you have a cold.” It is a conditional clause introduced by als (“if”). Here, verkouden functions as an adjective meaning “having a cold,” and bent is the second-person singular present form of zijn (“to be”).
Why is the pronoun je used in om je neus te snuiten instead of, for example, jouw?
Je is the unstressed, informal possessive pronoun used in daily conversation, equivalent to “your” in English. Using jouw would be more emphatic or formal, so je fits the casual tone of the instruction.
Is there any nuance in choosing pak over another verb like neem for taking the handkerchief?
Yes, while both pak and neem can be used to mean “take,” pak is more colloquial and commonly used in everyday spoken Dutch when quickly grabbing something. This choice contributes to the casual, friendly tone of the instruction.
How is the overall structure of the sentence organized, and why is it typical in Dutch instructions?
The sentence starts with two clear commands (using imperatives) connected by en (“and”). It then adds a purpose clause (om je neus te snuiten) to explain why the action is taken, followed by a conditional clause (als je verkouden bent) to indicate when it applies. This layered structure of commands, purpose, and condition is typical in Dutch for giving precise, step-by-step instructions.