Learn Hardcore Dutch: Anna werkt zorgvuldig aan haar onderzoek.

In Dutch the present tense changes with the subject. For third‑person singular (he/she/it) you add -t to the verb stem. So werken → werk (stem) + t = werkt when your subject is Anna.

What does zorgvuldig mean, and why doesn’t it change form when used as an adverb?

zorgvuldig is an adjective meaning careful or thorough. In Dutch many adjectives ending in -lijk also serve as adverbs without any extra ending. So Anna werkt zorgvuldig literally means “Anna works carefully/thoroughly.”

Why is the preposition aan used in werkt aan haar onderzoek?

The verb werken often requires aan when you want to say “to work on” something. Without aan the sentence would be incomplete: werken aan iets = “to work on something.”

Why is there no article before onderzoek in haar onderzoek?

When a noun is preceded by a possessive pronoun like haar (her), Dutch omits any definite or indefinite article. You say mijn huis, jouw boek, haar onderzoek, never het mijn huis or de haar onderzoek.

What is the word order in Anna werkt zorgvuldig aan haar onderzoek?

Dutch main clauses generally follow:
1) Subject (Anna)
2) Verb (werkt)
3) Adverb or adverbial phrase (zorgvuldig)
4) Object or prepositional phrase (aan haar onderzoek)

How do you express a continuous action in Dutch since there’s no -ing form like in English?

Dutch doesn’t have a separate present‑continuous tense. You use the simple present for both habitual and ongoing actions. So werkt can mean “she works” or “she is working.”

If you did need an article with onderzoek, would it be de or het?

onderzoek is a neuter noun, so it takes het. You would say het onderzoek, but because haar already shows possession you omit het anyway.