Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Dutch grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Werkwoord helpt ons spreken.
What does Werkwoord mean in this sentence?
Werkwoord translates to verb in English. It refers to the part of speech that expresses action or state, which is central to forming any sentence.
Why is the verb helpt conjugated with a t at the end?
In Dutch, verbs change their ending based on the subject. Since Werkwoord is a singular noun, the verb helpen takes the third person singular form helpt in the present tense.
Why is spreken presented in its infinitive form instead of a conjugated form?
After verbs like helpen, Dutch uses a bare infinitive to indicate a complementary action. This construction means that spreken remains in its base (infinitive) form, similar to saying “helps us speak” in English without further conjugation.
What role does the pronoun ons play in the sentence?
Ons is the object pronoun meaning us, specifying who benefits from the action. In this sentence, it clarifies that the verb (Werkwoord) is helping us to speak.
Why is there no article (like het) before Werkwoord in this example?
Omitting an article before a noun can signal a more abstract or general use. Here, Werkwoord is used as a general concept referring to the category of verbs rather than a specific one. This style is common in didactic examples or when discussing language in the abstract.
How does the structure of this Dutch sentence compare to a similar sentence in English?
The structure is quite parallel: it follows the Subject (Werkwoord) – Verb (helpt) – Object (ons) – Infinitive complement (spreken) order. While English would say “Verb helps us speak,” Dutch, like English, uses the bare infinitive after verbs such as helpen to indicate the action being assisted.