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Questions & Answers about De afstandsbediening waarmee je het volume regelt, werkt op batterijen.
What does afstandsbediening mean and how is it constructed?
Afstandsbediening is a compound noun: afstand (distance) + bediening (control/operation). It literally means remote control – a device you use to control something from a distance.
Why is waarmee used instead of die or dat?
In Dutch, when a relative clause starts with a preposition, you combine waar (which) with that preposition. Here met + waar → waarmee (“with which”). If you wanted to use die, you’d have to rephrase the clause without fronting met, for example:
De afstandsbediening die je gebruikt om het volume te regelen.
Why does the verb regelt appear at the end of waarmee je het volume regelt?
Because it’s a subordinate (relative) clause. In Dutch subordinate clauses the finite verb moves to the end. In main clauses the verb normally occupies second position.
What does werkt op mean in this context?
Werkt op is the Dutch equivalent of runs on or operates on when talking about a power source. So werkt op batterijen = runs on batteries.
Why is there no article before batterijen, and why is it plural?
When you refer to a power source in general, Dutch uses the plural without an article: op batterijen = on batteries. The plural is natural because most remote controls need more than one battery.
Is the comma before werkt op batterijen required?
No, it’s optional. Dutch rarely demands commas around restrictive relative clauses, so you could write De afstandsbediening waarmee je het volume regelt werkt op batterijen without a comma. Writers sometimes insert one for clarity or to signal a non-restrictive aside, but it’s less strict than in English.