Breakdown of Tom laat de verzekeraar alle foto’s van de schade zien.
Tom
Tom
van
of
laten zien
to show
alle
all
de foto
the photo
de verzekeraar
the insurer
de schade
the damage
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Questions & Answers about Tom laat de verzekeraar alle foto’s van de schade zien.
Why are there two verbs, laat and zien, in this sentence?
laten zien is a two-part verb meaning to show. The conjugated part (laat) appears in second position, while the infinitive (zien) moves to the end of the clause. Splitting in this way is standard for such verb combinations in Dutch.
Why doesn’t this sentence use aan before de verzekeraar?
Verbs like geven, sturen and laten zien allow an indirect-object noun without a preposition. You can simply say Tom laat de verzekeraar iets zien. Adding aan (… aan de verzekeraar) is possible for emphasis or clarity, but it’s not required.
Why is de verzekeraar (indirect object) placed before alle foto’s (direct object)?
When both an indirect object (IO) and a direct object (DO) appear without a preposition, the IO typically comes first: IO → DO. That’s why de verzekeraar precedes alle foto’s here. If you include aan, you could also say Tom laat alle foto’s van de schade aan de verzekeraar zien, but IO→DO remains common without aan.
How do I replace the objects with pronouns, and what order do they take?
Replace de verzekeraar with hem (IO) and alle foto’s with ze (DO). Pronouns follow the same IO→DO order:
Tom laat hem ze zien.
What’s the reason for the apostrophe in foto’s?
In Dutch, a noun ending in a stressed vowel adds 's to form the plural and preserve the vowel sound. So foto becomes foto’s. Without the apostrophe, fotos would suggest a different pronunciation.
What function does alle serve in alle foto’s?
alle is a determiner meaning all. Placed before a plural noun, it indicates you mean every single one: alle foto’s = all the photos.
Why is it de schade and not het schade?
Dutch nouns are classified as common (de) or neuter (het). schade (damage) is a common-gender noun, so it takes de.