Learn Hardcore Dutch: Anna moet vroeg opstaan; daarvoor zet zij haar wekker om zes uur. - Anna has to get up early; for that she sets her alarm for six o’clock.

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.

Why is there no article before wekker, and why is haar used instead?

Haar is a possessive pronoun ("her") that replaces the article. You say haar wekker (= “her alarm clock”) rather than de/een wekker.

What is the function of om zes uur in this sentence?

Om zes uur means “at six o’clock.” In Dutch you use om before specific clock times: om drie uur, om half acht, etc.

What role does the semicolon (;) play in this sentence?

The semicolon links two related main clauses more closely than a period, indicating that the second clause (“for that reason…”) directly follows from the first.