Hij geeft aan waar hij woont.

He indicates where he lives.

Breakdown of Hij geeft aan waar hij woont.

• hij: he
• wonen: to live
• waar: where
• aangeven: to indicate

Questions & Answers about Hij geeft aan waar hij woont.

What does the verb phrase "geeft aan" mean in this sentence?

The phrase "geeft aan" translates roughly to "indicates" or "points out" in English. It implies that he is providing or specifying a piece of information—in this case, the location where he lives.

Why is the preposition "aan" used after "geeft", and is it always necessary?

In Dutch many verbs form fixed expressions when combined with a preposition. With "geven", adding "aan" creates the idiomatic expression "geeft aan", meaning "to indicate" or "to show". It is necessary here because without "aan", the verb would simply mean "to give", which changes the intended meaning.

How does the clause "waar hij woont" function within the sentence?

The clause "waar hij woont" functions as an embedded or indirect question. Instead of posing the direct question "Where does he live?", the sentence incorporates the question into a subordinate clause. This structure allows the sentence to state what information is being provided without directly asking the question.

Why does the subordinate clause "waar hij woont" retain the standard subject-verb order rather than inverting it as in a direct question?

In Dutch, indirect questions or subordinate clauses maintain the typical subject-verb-object order. In a direct question, you might see inversion (e.g., "Waar woont hij?"), but within an embedded question such as "waar hij woont", the inversion does not occur. This is a standard rule in Dutch syntax for indirect speech.

Can you use a similar structure with other verbs to report information? If so, how?

Yes, you can use a similar structure with other reporting verbs. For instance, you might say "Hij meldt waar hij woont" (He states where he lives) or "Hij zegt waar hij woont" (He says where he lives). In each case, the main verb is followed by the subordinate clause that serves as an indirect question, conveying the information in a similar manner.