Breakdown of Anna brengt een paraplu mee, want zij verwacht een korte regenbui.
Anna
Anna
zij
she
want
because
kort
short
een
a, an
de paraplu
the umbrella
verwachten
to expect
meebrengen
to bring along
de regenbui
the rain shower
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Questions & Answers about Anna brengt een paraplu mee, want zij verwacht een korte regenbui.
What does brengt een paraplu mee literally mean, and how does the separable verb meebrengen work?
- Meebrengen is a separable verb (scheidbaar werkwoord) made of brengen (“to bring”) plus the prefix mee (“along”).
- In a main clause the prefix goes to the end: Anna brengt een paraplu mee → literally “Anna brings an umbrella along.”
- In subordinate clauses the prefix reattaches: e.g. omdat ze een paraplu meebrengt (“because she brings an umbrella along”).
Why is the prefix mee at the end of the clause instead of next to brengen?
Dutch main‐clause word order is V2 (verb in second position). A separable verb splits: the finite verb (brengt) sits in slot 2, and the prefix (mee) goes to the clause-final position. Only in subordinate clauses (introduced by omdat, terwijl, etc.) does the verb + prefix stay together at the end.
Why is the adjective korte inflected with -e in een korte regenbui?
Dutch adjectives get an -e ending when they precede a noun that has an article (definite de/het or indefinite een) and the noun is common gender (a “de-word”). Here:
- regenbui is a de-word (common gender)
- You use the indefinite article een
→ the adjective takes -e: een korte regenbui (“a short rain shower”).
What’s the difference between want and omdat, and how does that affect word order?
- want is a coordinating conjunction (“for/because” in an explanatory sense). It does not send the verb to the end. The clause after want has normal main-clause order (S V O): zij verwacht.
- omdat is a subordinating conjunction (“because” stating a reason). It does send the finite verb to the very end:
“Anna brengt een paraplu mee, omdat zij een korte regenbui verwacht.”
(subject + object + verb)
Why is zij used here instead of the unstressed pronoun ze? Can you say ze verwacht?
- zij is the full/stressed 3rd-person-singular pronoun. It can add emphasis or clarity.
- ze is the reduced form (colloquial, unstressed).
Both are grammatically correct:
• “want zij verwacht” (more neutral or emphatic)
• “want ze verwacht” (more conversational)
Why is regenbui written as one word, and what does it literally consist of?
Dutch compounds are generally written as one word. Regenbui = regen (“rain”) + bui (“shower” or “spell of weather”). Together they form a single noun meaning “rain shower.”
How do you decide between the articles een and de before paraplu (or any Dutch noun)?
- de is the definite article (“the umbrella,” referring to a specific one known to speaker and listener).
- een is the indefinite article (“an umbrella,” any umbrella).
In this sentence Anna is bringing an unspecified umbrella, so you use een paraplu mee. If you’d said “Don’t forget the umbrella,” you’d use de paraplu.