Breakdown of Ik ga die klus vandaag afmaken.
ik
I
gaan
to go
die
that
vandaag
today
afmaken
to finish
de klus
the job
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Questions & Answers about Ik ga die klus vandaag afmaken.
Why is ga used in this sentence?
Ga is the first-person singular present form of gaan, which here acts as a semi-auxiliary to express a near future or intention—similar to English “I’m going to”. It tells you the speaker plans to finish the job today.
What does the separable verb afmaken mean, and how does it work here?
Afbmaken literally means “to finish” or “to complete.” In Dutch, separable verbs split in main clauses (e.g. Ik maak de klus af), but when you have a modal or semi-auxiliary like ga, the full infinitive afmaken stays together at the end.
Why isn’t af placed at the end and maken earlier, as in some other sentences?
In a simple main clause you would split it: Ik maak de klus af. However, after an auxiliary or semi-auxiliary (ga), the entire infinitive—including the prefix af—remains intact: Ik ga die klus afmaken.
Why is die used before klus, rather than de or dat?
Die is the demonstrative adjective for singular common-gender nouns (formerly masculine or feminine)—and klus is a de-word (common gender). You use die klus to say “that job.” If you wanted “the job,” you’d say de klus.
What role does vandaag play, and why is it in that position?
Vandaag is a time adverbial (“today”). In Dutch, time words typically come after the direct object but before the final verb or verb cluster. You could also say Ik ga vandaag die klus afmaken (placing it even earlier), but it normally sits just before afmaken.
Can I use zal instead of ga to talk about the future here?
Yes. Ik zal die klus vandaag afmaken is grammatically correct and means “I will finish that job today.” Ga + infinitive is more colloquial and focuses on intention or plan, whereas zal is the classic future tense.
Is there a nuance difference between afmaken, voltooien, and klaarmaken?
- Afbmaken stresses finishing something already in progress.
- Voltooien is more formal, meaning “to complete” or “to bring to a formal conclusion.”
- Klaarmaken often means “to prepare” or “make ready,” though in context it can also be “to finish.” In our sentence, afmaken is the most natural for “finishing a task.”
Could I start the sentence with vandaag, and what happens to word order then?
Yes. If you put vandaag first, it occupies the sentence’s #1 slot, so the finite verb ga stays #2, followed by the subject ik. You’d get:
Vandaag ga ik die klus afmaken.
The meaning is the same; you’re just shifting the emphasis to “today.”