Breakdown of Anna wijst naar de kaart die op de tafel ligt.
Anna
Anna
naar
to
de tafel
the table
die
that
liggen
to lie
op
on
de kaart
the map
wijzen
to point
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Questions & Answers about Anna wijst naar de kaart die op de tafel ligt.
Why does the verb ligt appear at the end of the clause die op de tafel ligt?
In Dutch, relative clauses are treated as subordinate clauses, and in subordinate clauses the finite verb goes to the end. Since die op de tafel ligt is a relative clause modifying de kaart, its verb (ligt) must come after all other elements in that clause. In main clauses, the verb usually occupies the second position, but here the clause is subordinate, so it moves to the final slot.
Why is the relative pronoun die used here instead of dat?
Dutch uses die for all de-words (common gender singular and all plurals) and dat for het-words (neuter singular). Kaart is a de-word, so the correct relative pronoun is die. If the noun were a neuter het-word, you would use dat instead.
Why do we say de kaart and de tafel? Could it be het kaart or het tafel?
Dutch nouns are either common gender (taking de) or neuter (taking het). Both kaart and tafel are common gender nouns, so they require de. You cannot say het kaart or het tafel. Unfortunately, gender assignment often has to be memorized, though patterns (like most diminutives being het) can help.
How is the verb wijst formed, and why does it end in -t?
The infinitive is wijzen (“to point”), and its stem is wijs. In the present tense, the third-person singular adds -t, giving wijst (“he/she/it points”). Since Anna is third person singular, you say Anna wijst.
What role does naar play in wijst naar de kaart? Can we omit it?
Naar is a preposition meaning “to” or “at” in the context of pointing. The verb wijzen requires naar to indicate the target: you always wijzen naar iets (“point at something”). Omitting naar would be ungrammatical if you want to say “point at the map.”
Can we use the separable verb aanwijzen instead of wijzen naar?
Yes. Aanwijzen means “to point at” and is a separable verb. In a sentence you separate the prefix aan, which goes to the end of the main clause. For example: Anna wijst de kaart aan die op de tafel ligt.