Parts of speech - Woordsoorten

Verbs according to form

Here we discuss three types of verb with a complex internal structure:

- verbs with a separable prefix (separable verbs);
- verbs with an inseparable prefix (inseparable verbs);
- verbs with a preposition (phrasal verbs).

SEPARABLE VERBS - SCHEIDBARE WERKWOORDEN

Examples of separable verbs are:

- oversteken
- voorstellen
- aankomen

Verbs which are structured like this are called separable verbs, because the first element ( over- , voor-, and aan- ) can be separated from the verb. This element is called a prefix. The prefixes of separable verbs are also words in their own right (usually prepositions or adverbs).

The prefix carries the main stress of the separable verb. In the infinitive it is joined to the verb, but in their finite forms (the conjugated form of the verb) stressed prefixes are separated from the verb and occur towards the end of the sentence, in the final or penultimate position. This is the case in main clauses.

Look at the examples below. In each first sentence the infinitive of the separable verb appears (so the verb is not separated). In each second sentence the prefix has been separated from the verb and appears in final or penultimate position.

Note that the separation of the prefix in these separable verbs also occurs in other forms of the verbs, for instance in imperatives or questions :

In subordinate clauses the prefix of a separable verb is joined to the verb:

However, when a modal verb (like zullen in the examples below) occurs in a subordinate clause along with a separable verb, both of the following options are possible:

INSEPARABLE VERBS - ONSCHEIDBARE WERKWOORDEN

There is a group of prefixes that do not separate from the verb:

Note also that there is no extra prefix ge- in the past participle of inseparable verbs. Cf. the first and last examples in the above table: not * gebegrepen but begrepen ; not *gevergeten but vergeten.

PHRASAL VERBS - WERKWOORDEN MET EEN VAST VOORZETSEL

Dutch makes wide use of prepositions. Sometimes the verb in the sentence requires the presence of a particular >preposition. These verbs are called phrasal verbs. Examples are:

The object of a phrasal verb is known as a >>prepositional object. The prepositional object may be a >>pronominal adverb, which is an >adverb of place with the function of a >>pronoun. This can be illustrated by means of two verbs with the same meaning, one of which a >transitive verb, the other a phrasal verb, e.g. bespreken ('discuss') and praten over ('talk about', i.e. 'discuss'). Consider the following comment that could be made in a popular radio phone-in programme:

The first example contains the verb bespreken and the demonstrative pronoun dat to refer back to het probleem van de werkloosheid. The second example contains the phrasal ver praten over and the demonstrative pronominal adverb daarover to refer back to het probleem van de werkloosheid.

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