Anna moet vroeg opstaan; daarvoor zet zij haar wekker om zes uur.

Anna

Breakdown of Anna moet vroeg opstaan; daarvoor zet zij haar wekker om zes uur.

• zij: she
• moeten: must
• vroeg: early

Questions & Answers about Anna moet vroeg opstaan; daarvoor zet zij haar wekker om zes uur.

What kind of verb is moet in this sentence, and how does it translate into English?

Moet is the 3rd-person singular present of the modal verb moeten, meaning “to have to” or “must.” So Anna moet vroeg opstaan = “Anna has to get up early.”

Why does opstaan appear as one word at the end of the clause?

Opstaan is a separable verb formed from op + staan. After a modal verb like moet, the full infinitive (including its prefix) moves to the end of the clause, giving …moet vroeg opstaan.

What does daarvoor mean here, and could you use daarom instead?

Here daarvoor means “for that reason” or “therefore.” You can indeed swap in daarom (“Daarom zet zij haar wekker om zes uur”) with no significant change in meaning.

Why is the verb zet placed before the subject zij in the second clause?

Dutch follows the Verb-Second (V2) rule: when an element (like daarvoor) is fronted, the finite verb must occupy the second position. Hence zet comes before the subject zij.