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Questions & Answers about Tom reageert op de brief.
What is the meaning of the verb reageert in the sentence?
Reageert is the third-person singular present tense form of the verb reageren, which means to react or to respond. In this sentence, it tells us that Tom is responding or reacting to something—in this case, the letter.
Why is the preposition op used with reageert, and what does it signify?
In Dutch, some verbs pair with fixed prepositions to form common expressions. Here, reageert op is a fixed collocation meaning responds to or reacts to. The preposition op indicates the target of Tom’s reaction, connecting his response directly to de brief (the letter).
Why is the noun brief preceded by de instead of het?
Dutch nouns have grammatical gender. Brief (meaning letter) is a common gender noun, so it takes the definite article de. Neuter nouns in Dutch are paired with het, but since brief is not neuter, it correctly uses de.
How is the sentence Tom reageert op de brief structured in terms of word order?
The sentence follows a straightforward Dutch word order similar to English. Tom is the subject, reageert is the conjugated verb, and op de brief is a prepositional phrase acting as an adverbial complement that specifies what Tom is responding to. This structure makes the sentence clear and easy to understand.
Can I replace the preposition op with another preposition like naar?
No, you cannot replace op with naar in this context. Reageren op is a fixed expression in Dutch, and using any other preposition would not be idiomatic and might change the meaning. It’s important to remember that some verbs require specific prepositional complements in Dutch.