Breakdown of De dokter weegt mijn tas en zegt dat het gewicht verrassend hoog is.
zijn
to be
en
and
dat
that
mijn
my
zeggen
to say
hoog
high
de dokter
the doctor
de tas
the bag
verrassend
surprisingly
wegen
to weigh
het gewicht
the weight
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Questions & Answers about De dokter weegt mijn tas en zegt dat het gewicht verrassend hoog is.
Why is the finite verb is at the end of the subordinate clause dat het gewicht verrassend hoog is?
In Dutch, subordinate clauses introduced by dat require the finite verb to appear at the very end. That’s why is comes after verrassend hoog.
Why is the article het used with gewicht instead of de?
Gewicht is a neuter noun in Dutch, and neuter singular nouns take the article het.
Why does verrassend not change form before the adjective hoog?
Here verrassend is an adverb modifying hoog. Adverbs in Dutch are indeclinable, so they remain the same regardless of the adjective they modify.
Why is the order verrassend hoog and not hoog verrassend?
The normal order is adverb + adjective. Since verrassend functions as an adverb describing hoog, it must precede it.
In De dokter weegt mijn tas en zegt dat..., how do we know de dokter is the subject of both verbs weegt and zegt?
When two main-clause verbs are joined by en with only one explicit subject at the start, that subject applies to both verbs.
What does weegt mean and how is the verb wegen conjugated in the present tense?
The verb wegen means “to weigh.” Present-tense conjugation:
• ik weeg
• jij weegt
• hij/zij/het weegt
• wij wegen
• jullie wegen
• zij wegen
Can gewicht be plural, and how would you say “weights” in Dutch?
Generally, gewicht is used as an uncountable noun meaning “weight.” If you need a plural form (for different measured weights), you use gewichten.
Why is tas used instead of a word like koffer or bagage?
Tas is the general word for “bag.” Koffer means “suitcase,” and bagage refers to “luggage” collectively. “My bag” is most naturally mijn tas.
What is the function of dat in en zegt dat het gewicht verrassend hoog is? Can it be omitted?
Dat is a complementizer introducing the embedded clause. In reported speech, you need dat to link the main verb zegt with the subordinate statement. Omitting it is only possible in very informal contexts or when using a direct quote with a colon.