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Questions & Answers about Hij zegt het antwoord hardop.
Why must zegt come right after Hij in Hij zegt het antwoord hardop?
In Dutch main clauses, the finite verb occupies the second position (V2 rule). The first position here is filled by Hij, so the verb zegt immediately follows.
Why isn't there a preposition before het antwoord?
The verb zeggen is transitive when you are saying something specific (a word or an answer). It takes a direct object without a preposition. To say something to someone you would use zeggen tegen + person.
Why is the article het used instead of de in het antwoord?
Dutch nouns are either common gender (de-words) or neuter (het-words). Antwoord is a neuter noun, so it takes het.
What is hardop, and why does it come at the end?
Hardop is an adverb of manner meaning aloud. In Dutch the typical order is Subject–Verb–Object–Adverb, so as a manner adverb it naturally follows the object.
Is Hij zegt hardop het antwoord also correct?
That word order is technically possible but uncommon and can sound awkward. Manner adverbs like hardop usually go after the object: Hij zegt het antwoord hardop.
What is the difference between hardop and luidop?
Both mean out loud, but hardop focuses on the fact of not being silent, while luidop emphasizes speaking at a high volume.
How would I replace het antwoord with an object pronoun?
Since antwoord is neuter, the pronoun is het: Hij zegt het hardop. Here het replaces het antwoord, not the definite article.
Can zeggen introduce a subordinate clause instead of taking a noun phrase?
Yes. If you report speech in a clause you need dat, for example: Hij zegt dat hij het antwoord weet – which means He says that he knows the answer. Without dat, zeggen expects a noun phrase as direct object.
Why not use spreken here? Could I say Hij spreekt het antwoord hardop?
Spreken means to speak in general or to speak a language. To convey “to say” something specific, Dutch uses zeggen. You could use spreken in contexts like giving a speech: Hij spreekt de menigte toe – He addresses the crowd, but not for “saying an answer.”
How do I pronounce hardop?
It is pronounced [ˈɦɑr.dɔp]. The r is a tapped or guttural r depending on the region, the a as in father, the o as in or, with stress on the first syllable.