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Questions & Answers about Hij besmet zijn vriend niet.
What does the verb besmet mean in this sentence?
The verb besmet is the third person singular form of besmetten, which means "to infect" or "to contaminate." In this sentence, it indicates that the action of infecting is not being performed by the subject.
Why is the possessive adjective zijn used before vriend?
In Dutch, zijn functions as a possessive adjective equivalent to "his." It is used here to show the relationship between the subject hij ("he") and the noun vriend ("friend"), indicating that the friend belongs to or is associated with him.
Why is the negation niet placed at the end of the sentence?
Dutch word order often places the negation niet at the end of the sentence, especially when it negates the action or the element that follows the main verb. In this case, niet negates the entire action of infecting the friend, which is a common structure in Dutch declarative sentences.
What is the overall sentence structure, and how does it compare to English?
The sentence follows a Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) order, structured as Hij (subject) + besmet (verb) + zijn vriend (object), with niet appended at the end to indicate negation. While English also follows an SVO order, English typically places negation immediately after the auxiliary verb (e.g., "does not infect") rather than at the very end.
What tense is used in the sentence, and how is the verb conjugated for the subject?
The sentence is in the present tense. The verb besmet is conjugated for the third person singular subject hij. Dutch verbs often use a slightly modified form in the third person singular, and in this case, the form besmet is used straightforwardly for "he infects" (or "he does not infect" when negated).
Are there any additional grammatical nuances in this sentence that might be challenging for learners?
Yes, beyond the basic SVO structure, learners might find two points challenging: first, the placement of niet at the end can be confusing if one expects negation to appear earlier, as in English; second, understanding the use of possessive adjectives like zijn versus object pronouns can be tricky since Dutch uses these adjectives directly before a noun without additional markers of possession.