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Questions & Answers about Het boek is verkleurd.
What is the grammatical role of verkleurd in the sentence?
Verkleurd is a past participle formed from the verb verkleuren. In this sentence, it functions as a predicate adjective that describes the state of the subject, het boek—meaning the book is in a discolored condition.
Why is the auxiliary is used instead of wordt in this sentence?
Dutch distinguishes between a process passive and a state (resultative) passive. In this case, is is used with the past participle to indicate that the action (discoloration) has been completed, and the book now exists in that state. If wordt were used, it would imply that the action of discoloration was currently ongoing.
How is the past participle verkleurd formed, and what is its base verb?
Verkleurd comes from the base verb verkleuren, which means “to discolor” or “to change color.” The formation involves adding the prefix ver- to the root related to “color” and then attaching the regular past participle ending (‑d) for weak verbs.
Does verkleurd need to agree with the subject het boek?
No, in Dutch adjectives that are used in a predicative position (after the linking verb is) do not change form to agree with the subject. Agreement or inflection occurs with attributive adjectives (placed before the noun), so verkleurd remains unchanged regardless of the subject’s gender or number.
What is the function of the article het in the sentence?
Het is the definite article used for neuter nouns in Dutch. In the sentence, it indicates that boek (book) is a neuter noun, thereby forming the complete noun phrase that is the subject of the sentence.
Is Het boek is verkleurd considered a passive construction, and if so, what type?
Yes, the sentence is a passive construction. More precisely, it is a resultative or state passive, emphasizing the condition of the book after the action of discoloration has been completed rather than focusing on the ongoing process.