Breakdown of Na het koken blijft de geur van knoflook lang in de keuken hangen.
in
in
de keuken
the kitchen
na
after
lang
long
het koken
the cooking
van
of
de knoflook
the garlic
blijven hangen
to linger
de geur
the smell
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Dutch grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Na het koken blijft de geur van knoflook lang in de keuken hangen.
What is the function of Na het koken in this sentence?
Na het koken is a time adverbial meaning “after cooking.” In Dutch, a preposition (na) plus a noun phrase indicates when something happens. Placing it at the beginning sets the temporal context for the rest of the sentence.
Why do we need het before koken? Why not just Na koken?
In Dutch, when you turn a verb into a noun (a gerund), you generally need a definite article. So koken (“cooking”) becomes het koken. Without het, it would sound incomplete or ungrammatical.
Why does the sentence use blijft hangen instead of simply hangt?
Blijven hangen is a verb combination meaning “to linger” or “remain hanging.”
• blijven = “to stay/remain”
• hangen = “to hang”
Together they emphasize that the smell doesn’t just “hang” once; it keeps lingering over time.
What role does lang play here?
Lang is an adverb meaning “for a long time.” It modifies the verb phrase blijft hangen, indicating the duration of the lingering smell.
Why is it de geur and not het geur?
Dutch has two grammatical genders for singular nouns: common (de) and neuter (het). Geur (smell) is a common‐gender noun, so it takes de. Unfortunately, gender often must be memorized or checked in a dictionary.
Could you use knoflookgeur instead of geur van knoflook?
Yes, you could form the compound knoflookgeur (“garlic smell”), but geur van knoflook is more transparent as “the smell of garlic.” Both are correct, but compounds can feel more formal or technical.
Why does blijft appear before de geur rather than after it?
Dutch main clauses follow a verb-second (V2) word order. When you start with an element like Na het koken, the finite verb (blijft) must come next, pushing the subject (de geur van knoflook) into third position.
Why is hangen placed at the very end of the sentence?
In Dutch, infinitive verbs in a multi‐verb construction (here blijven hangen) move to the end of the clause. The finite verb stays in position two, and the infinitive follows all other clause elements.
What kind of verb is blijven hangen? Is it separable?
Blijven hangen is an inseparable verb combination. Blijven is a full verb that takes an infinitive complement (hangen). You never split them apart, and blijven always remains in second position if the clause has another fronted element.
Can you use blijft hangen for things other than smells?
Yes. Blijven hangen can describe anything that lingers, such as:
- a mood (“Die sfeer blijft hangen.”)
- a tune (“Dat liedje blijft maar hangen.”)
- a stain (“Die vlek blijft hangen.”)
Why is in the correct preposition with de keuken?
In is used for enclosed spaces or rooms. You say in de keuken (“in the kitchen”). Using op would imply “on top of” a surface, which doesn’t fit for being inside a room.
How do you pronounce knoflook?
The pronunciation is approximately /ˈknɔf.loːk/:
• kn like [kn] in “knock”
• o as in “off” ([ɔ])
• f as in “fun”
• oo as in “door” ([oː])
• k at the end like “kick”