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Questions & Answers about Ik geef geld uit.
Why is the particle uit placed at the end of the sentence?
This is because uitgeven is a separable verb in Dutch. In main clauses, the finite verb (geef) splits from its particle (uit), which then appears at the end of the sentence.
What exactly does uitgeven mean in this context?
In this sentence, uitgeven means “to spend.” Although its components might literally be read as “give out,” idiomatically when referring to money, it conveys the idea of spending money.
Why is the structure Ik geef geld uit used instead of Ik geef uit geld?
Dutch separable verbs follow a specific word order: the subject comes first, followed by the conjugated part of the verb, then the object, and finally the separable particle. Therefore, uit correctly appears at the end after geld.
What is the grammatical role of geld in this sentence?
Geld functions as the direct object of the verb uitgeven. It represents what is being spent.
Does uitgeven have meanings other than “to spend money”?
Yes, context matters. Uitgeven can also mean “to publish” (as in publishing a book or magazine) or “to distribute/give out.” In this sentence, however, the meaning is clearly “to spend money.”
How would you change the sentence to express the negative, as in “I do not spend money”?
To negate the sentence, insert geen before geld. The negative version becomes: Ik geef geen geld uit.
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