Learn Hardcore Dutch: Aan het einde zullen we alles samenvatten en tenminste twee fouten verbeteren. - At the end we will summarize everything and correct at least two mistakes.

Dutch main clauses are verb-second (V2). When you put an element like Aan het einde at the front, the finite verb must come second. So the order is: fronted element → finite verb (zullen) → subject (we) → rest. If you begin with the subject, you’d say: We zullen aan het einde ...

Why do the main verbs samenvatten and verbeteren go to the end?

Because zullen is an auxiliary. In Dutch, the lexical verbs (infinitives/participles) move to the clause-final position when there is a finite auxiliary in V2. Hence: … zullen we [object] samenvatten en [object] verbeteren.

Do I need to repeat zullen before the second verb?

No. One auxiliary can govern a coordinated verb phrase: … zullen we alles samenvatten en ten minste twee fouten verbeteren. Repeating it (… en zullen we …) is possible but feels heavier and is used only for emphasis or clarity.

Is samenvatten a separable verb? How would it look in other tenses?

Yes. Base form is one word (samenvatten), but it separates in simple present/past:

Present: We vatten alles samen.
Perfect: We hebben alles samengevat.
With an auxiliary (as in your sentence): the parts stay together at the end: … zullen we alles samenvatten.

What’s the difference between tenminste and ten minste here?

Before a number, careful style prefers ten minste (two words) to express a numeric minimum. Tenminste (one word) often means “at any rate/anyway,” though many speakers also use it for numbers in informal writing. Safest choices before a number:

ten minste twee, or synonyms minstens twee, op zijn minst twee.

Can I say minstens or op zijn minst instead of ten minste?

Yes. Minstens twee fouten and op zijn minst twee fouten are idiomatic and unambiguous for a numerical minimum.

Why Aan het einde and not aan het eind? And what about op het einde, ten slotte, tenslotte, eindelijk, uiteindelijk?

aan het einde / aan het eind: both correct; eind is a bit shorter/colloquial, einde slightly more formal.
op het einde: common in Belgium; in the Netherlands, aan het einde is standard.
ten slotte (“finally, in conclusion”) vs tenslotte (“after all”): one space changes the meaning. Your sentence could also start with Ten slotte zullen we …
eindelijk (“finally/at last,” after a long wait) and uiteindelijk (“eventually, in the end after a process”) are different adverbs and don’t fit as direct replacements for the time phrase here.

Why alles and not alle or allemaal?

alles = “everything” (things, in total), used as a neuter pronoun.
alle = “all” before a plural noun (e.g., alle fouten).
allemaal is used with plural pronouns/nouns to mean “all (of them)” (we allemaal, ze allemaal).
Here, alles is the right pronoun for “everything.”

Could I use the present tense instead of zullen?

Yes. Dutch often uses the present for scheduled/near-future events: Aan het einde vatten we alles samen en verbeteren we ten minste twee fouten. Using zullen adds a sense of intention/promise or simple futurity.

What’s the difference between zullen and gaan for the future?

zullen: neutral future, promises/intentions, offers/suggestions (especially in questions).
gaan: “going to,” often more immediate or planned.
All three are possible in context: present, zullen, or gaan, with small nuance differences.

Does Zullen we … mean “Shall we …?” Is the sentence a question?

In a yes/no question, Zullen we …? is indeed “Shall we …?” (a suggestion). Your sentence is a statement. It’s not a question; the verb is second because of V2 with a fronted adverbial, not because it’s interrogative.

Where do adverbs like waarschijnlijk go?

Typically after the subject in the “middle field”: Aan het einde zullen we waarschijnlijk alles samenvatten en ten minste twee fouten verbeteren. Don’t push them after the final verbs unless they specifically modify the verb phrase as a whole.

Why is there no comma before en?

Dutch normally doesn’t use a comma before en when coordinating similar elements (here, two verb phrases). A comma would be unusual unless needed for clarity in a long or complex sentence.

Why is it twee fouten without an article?

Cardinal numbers replace the article in Dutch. With a numeral, you don’t use een/de: twee fouten, drie boeken, etc.

Can I change the order of the two coordinated actions?

Yes, if context allows: Aan het einde zullen we ten minste twee fouten verbeteren en alles samenvatten. The meaning remains the same unless the order of actions matters in your context.

What’s the nuance of verbeteren vs corrigeren?

verbeteren = “improve” and also “correct” (errors, exercises). Very common and natural here.
corrigeren = specifically “to correct” (often in editorial/teacher contexts), a bit more formal/technical. Either can work, but fouten verbeteren is the default collocation.

Any quick pronunciation tips for tricky bits?

zullen: short Dutch u [ʏ], not like English “zoo”; think a short, rounded “u.”
einde: ei like the vowel in English “eye,” then -nde.
fouten: ou like English “ow” in “cow,” but rounder.
samenvatten: stress on the first syllable: SA-men-…; in split form: vatten … samen.
verbeteren: vehr-BAY-tuh-run (each e is a separate schwa-like syllable except the stressed one).