Breakdown of Volgens het nieuwe beleid mogen we later beginnen.
wij
we
nieuw
new
later
later
volgens
according to
beginnen
to start
het beleid
the policy
mogen
to be allowed to
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Questions & Answers about Volgens het nieuwe beleid mogen we later beginnen.
What does volgens mean, and how is it used with an article?
volgens is a preposition meaning according to. In Dutch you typically follow it with a definite noun phrase (no genitive ‑s added), for example volgens het beleid, volgens de regels, volgens jouw plan.
Why is nieuw inflected as nieuwe in het nieuwe beleid?
Dutch adjectives take an -e ending when they precede a definite noun (with de or het) or any plural noun. Since beleid is definite here (het beleid), nieuw becomes nieuwe.
Why is the word order mogen we instead of we mogen?
Dutch main clauses follow the V2 (verb-second) rule: the finite verb must occupy the second position. When you start the sentence with an adverbial phrase like Volgens het nieuwe beleid, the verb mogen comes next (position 2), then the subject we.
Why is there no te before beginnen?
When you use a modal verb (here mogen), you link it directly to the bare infinitive of the main verb. You never insert te between a modal and its infinitive.
What part of speech is later, and why does it come before beginnen?
later is an adverb of time (“later than usual”). In Dutch, adverbs normally precede the infinitive they modify, so later beginnen = “to begin later.”
What nuance does mogen add compared to using kunnen or moeten?
mogen expresses permission (“we are allowed to”).
kunnen would express ability or possibility (“we are able to”),
moeten expresses obligation or necessity (“we have to”).
Why is beleid a neuter noun, and how do you know to use het instead of de?
beleid is grammatically neuter. Unfortunately, you often have to learn noun gender by memorization or look it up in a dictionary. Neuter nouns take het in the singular, so you say het beleid.