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Breakdown of De picknick kan afgelast worden omdat de storm te sterk is.
zijn
to be
kunnen
can
de picknick
the picnic
te
too
omdat
because
sterk
strong
de storm
the storm
afgelast worden
to be cancelled
Questions & Answers about De picknick kan afgelast worden omdat de storm te sterk is.
Why do we use de before picknick instead of het?
In Dutch, all nouns are either de (common gender) or het (neuter). Picknick is treated as common gender, so it takes de. You simply have to learn the article along with the noun.
What does kan mean in this sentence?
Here kan is a modal verb meaning “can” or “is able to.” The sentence says the picnic can be canceled—it expresses possibility, not past tense.
Why is the passive voice used with afgelast worden?
The passive lets you focus on the action (the cancellation) without naming who cancels it. In Dutch you form the passive with worden + past participle. When you add a modal like kan, you place kan in second position and the entire passive infinitive (afgelast worden) at the end.
Why is the word order kan afgelast worden, not kan worden afgelast?
Both orders are correct. De picknick kan afgelast worden is more common in speech; De picknick kan worden afgelast sounds a bit more formal. Dutch allows you to swap the participle and worden in a modal passive.
Why does omdat send is to the end of the clause?
Omdat is a subordinating conjunction (“because”). In Dutch subordinate clauses the finite verb goes to the very end. Hence: omdat de storm te sterk is.
What does te mean in te sterk?
Te means “too” (excessively). Sterk is “strong,” so te sterk = “too strong.” You use te + adjective to express “too [adjective].”
Could I use annuleren instead of afgelasten?
Yes. Annuleren (“to cancel”) is a loanword, often used for flights or bookings. Afgelasten is the traditional Dutch verb for cancelling events (concerts, games, picknicks). Both are understood, but afgelasten sounds more natural for an outdoor event.
Why is the past participle afgelast and not geafgelast?
With separable verbs like afgelasten, the ge- infix appears between the prefix and the stem: prefix af- + ge- + stem last + ending -t = afgelast. You never write geafgelast; the separable prefix stays in front.
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