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Questions & Answers about De kamer voelt warm aan.
What does the aan at the end of the sentence represent?
It is the separated prefix of the Dutch separable verb aanvoelen. In main clauses, the prefix splits off from the conjugated verb (here, voelt) and is placed at the end of the sentence.
Why is the verb split into voelt and aan instead of being written together?
Many Dutch verbs are separable. When conjugated in a main clause, the prefix (in this case aan) detaches from the main part of the verb and moves to the end. Thus, aanvoelen becomes voelt … aan in a sentence like De kamer voelt warm aan.
How does De kamer voelt warm aan. differ from De kamer is warm.?
While De kamer is warm. states a simple fact about the room’s temperature, De kamer voelt warm aan. emphasizes the sensory perception of warmth. The first is an objective description, whereas the second suggests that when you experience or touch the room, it gives off a warm feeling.
What is the basic form of the verb used in this sentence?
The basic (infinitive) form is voelen. When combined with the prefix aan, it forms aanvoelen, which means “to feel” in the sense of sensing a quality.
How would this sentence be structured in a subordinate clause?
In subordinate clauses the separable prefix remains attached to the verb. For example, one might say: Ik denk dat de kamer warm aanvoelt. Notice that aan is no longer separated from voelt.
How do you form the past tense of this sentence?
The past tense changes the conjugated verb. It becomes De kamer voelde warm aan. Here, voelt is replaced by voelde, while the separable prefix aan remains at the end.
Why does the adjective warm not change form in this construction?
In Dutch, adjectives used in predicate positions (after a linking verb) typically remain uninflected. In contrast, if an adjective is used attributively before a noun (e.g., een warme kamer), it might receive an ending. In this sentence, warm correctly stays in its base form.