Een andere methode helpt ons om de woorden eenvoudig te onthouden.

Another method helps us remember the words easily.

Breakdown of Een andere methode helpt ons om de woorden eenvoudig te onthouden.

• het woord: the word
• om: for
• onthouden: to remember
• een: a, an
• ander: other
• helpen: to help
• ons: us
• eenvoudig: easily
• de methode: the method

Questions & Answers about Een andere methode helpt ons om de woorden eenvoudig te onthouden.

Why is it “een andere methode” and not “een ander methode”?

In Dutch, adjectives take an -e ending (weak inflection) when they come after any article before a de-woord (common-gender noun). Methode is a de-woord, so you need andere.

• With a het-woord after een, you would drop the -e (e.g. een mooi huis), but here it’s een andere methode.

Why do we have “om te” before “onthouden”? Couldn’t we say “helpt ons de woorden eenvoudig onthouden”?

With helpen + object + infinitive, Dutch allows you to omit om, but including om makes the purpose clause crystal-clear, especially with a pronoun object like ons.

• Both “helpt ons de woorden te onthouden” and “helpt ons om de woorden te onthouden” are grammatically correct.
• In practice, om is often added for clarity or emphasis.

Why is “te onthouden” written together, instead of splitting the separable verb onthouden?

In subordinate clauses or infinitive constructions with te, separable-prefix verbs remain unseparated. The te is placed between the prefix and the verb stem:

• “onthouden” → “te onthouden”
  In main clauses you would split: “Ik houd de woorden goed vast.”, but not here.

Why is “eenvoudig” before “te onthouden” and not “eenvoudige”? Isn’t it an adjective?

Here eenvoudig is an adverb describing hoe you onthouden (how you remember) – “easily / simply.” Adverbs in Dutch don’t get an extra -e.

• The adjective form (eenvoudige) would modify a noun: “een eenvoudige methode”.

Could we replace “eenvoudig” with “makkelijk”? What’s the nuance?

Yes. makkelijk (adverb) is a direct synonym meaning “easily.”

• “Helpt ons makkelijk de woorden te onthouden.”
  eenvoudig is a bit more formal or literally “simple,” while makkelijk is more everyday colloquial.

Why do we say “de woorden” instead of just “woorden” without an article?

Using de woorden signals you mean specific words already introduced or understood in context.

• If you speak of words in general, you might drop the article: “Woorden onthoud je soms beter in context.”
  Here, however, you’re referring back to a defined set of words.

Why is the object pronoun “ons” used, and how do I know it’s correct?

helpen is a transitive verb that takes a direct object. Since we (we/us) are the ones being helped, you use the object form ons (us).

• Subject form we would not work here, because we can’t be both subject and direct object of helpt.