Breakdown of Met een droge stofdoek veegt Tom het stof van de boekenplank.
Tom
Tom
met
with
van
from
een
a, an
het stof
the dust
droog
dry
de stofdoek
the duster
vegen
to wipe
de boekenplank
the bookshelf
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Questions & Answers about Met een droge stofdoek veegt Tom het stof van de boekenplank.
Why is Met een droge stofdoek placed at the beginning of the sentence, and what effect does it have on word order?
In Dutch main clauses the finite verb must be in second position (the V2 rule). By starting with the prepositional phrase Met een droge stofdoek, the verb veegt comes directly after it, then the subject Tom, followed by the rest. Placing the instrument first also highlights how Tom is dusting.
What exactly is a stofdoek, and how does it differ from a stofdoekje?
A stofdoek is simply a dust cloth used for wiping off dust. Adding the diminutive suffix -je gives stofdoekje, literally a “small dust cloth.” In everyday speech the diminutive can sound a bit more informal or emphasize that it’s a compact, handy cloth.
Why is het stof used here and not de stof?
The noun stof has two genders depending on meaning. When it means “dust” (a mass noun you remove from surfaces), it’s neuter: het stof. When it means “fabric” or “material,” it’s common gender: de stof.
Why is it stof van de boekenplank instead of stof op de boekenplank?
The preposition van indicates source or separation—dust being taken off the shelf. Op would simply describe location (“dust lying on the shelf”) without stressing the action of removing it. You can also say stof van de boekenplank afvegen, using the separable verb afvegen.
Why is the verb veegt in the present tense? Does it mean Tom always dusts like this?
The present tense in Dutch describes ongoing (present) actions, habitual actions, or general truths—much like in English. Here it narrates what Tom is doing right now or in a typical situation. To emphasize it’s happening at this exact moment you could say: Tom is het stof aan het wegvegen.
Could you rephrase this sentence using a separable verb like afvegen?
Yes. You can say:
Tom veegt het stof van de boekenplank af met een droge stofdoek.
Here veegt … af is the separated parts of afvegen, with af at the end and the instrument phrase moved to the end.
Why is een (indefinite) used instead of de (definite) before droge stofdoek?
Using een suggests “a (any) dry dust cloth,” not one previously specified. If you wanted to refer to a particular cloth you’d say: Met de droge stofdoek (the one we already know about).