Breakdown of Mijn horloge geeft aan dat het al laat is, maar we hoeven niet te haasten.
zijn
to be
niet
not
maar
but
dat
that
al
already
het
it
mijn
my
we
we
laat
late
haasten
to rush
het horloge
the watch
aangeven
to show
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Questions & Answers about Mijn horloge geeft aan dat het al laat is, maar we hoeven niet te haasten.
What does geeft aan mean in this sentence?
It means “shows” or “indicates.” Here, the phrase tells us that the speaker’s watch is communicating the fact that it’s getting late.
How is the subordinate clause dat het al laat is functioning?
The clause acts as the object of the verb geeft aan. Introduced by dat (“that”), it explains what the watch indicates. Notice that in subordinate clauses in Dutch, the conjugated verb (here, is) typically comes at the end.
What does al contribute to het al laat is?
Al translates to “already” in this context. It emphasizes that it has become late sooner than might be expected, adding a nuance of urgency even while stating a fact.
Why is the coordinating conjunction maar used in the sentence?
Maar means “but” and is used to contrast two ideas. Although the watch shows that it’s late, the sentence then adds that there is no need to hurry. This connects the seemingly contradictory statements in a natural, conversational way.
What is the meaning and function of hoeven niet te haasten?
The construction hoeven niet te haasten means “don’t have to hurry.” It uses the modal verb hoeven to indicate lack of necessity. Although haasten is often used in a reflexive form (zich haasten), in constructions with modal verbs like hoeven the reflexive pronoun can be dropped when the meaning remains clear.
How does the word order differ between the main and subordinate parts of the sentence?
In the main clause (Mijn horloge geeft aan), the conjugated verb (geeft) occupies the second position, which is typical for Dutch main clauses. In the subordinate clause (dat het al laat is), the conjugated verb (is) comes at the end, following the standard word order for subordinate clauses in Dutch.
What is the literal translation of Mijn horloge geeft aan dat het al laat is, maar we hoeven niet te haasten?
A literal translation is “My watch indicates that it is already late, but we don’t have to hurry.” This conveys both the factual information (that it’s late) and the contrast (that there is no need to rush).