Questions & Answers about Anna wil Tom geruststellen.
Why is the word order Anna wil Tom geruststellen and not something like Anna wil geruststellen Tom?
Dutch main clauses normally follow the V2 rule: the finite verb (the conjugated one) must be in second position in the sentence.
- Anna wil Tom geruststellen.
- Anna = first element
- wil = finite verb, second position
- Tom geruststellen = the rest of the sentence (object + infinitive)
With a modal verb like willen, the infinitive (geruststellen) goes to (near) the end of the clause. So:
- Subject – finite verb – objects/adverbs – infinitive
→ Anna wil Tom geruststellen.
Putting geruststellen before Tom (Anna wil geruststellen Tom) breaks normal Dutch word order and is incorrect.
What exactly is geruststellen? Is it one verb or two words?
Geruststellen is one verb in its basic form, meaning to reassure.
It is a separable verb:
- Base infinitive (dictionary form): geruststellen
- In a normal present-tense sentence it splits:
- Anna stelt Tom gerust. – Anna reassures Tom.
- stelt = conjugated form of
- Anna stelt Tom gerust. – Anna reassures Tom.