Dutch Conversation-Grammar, Lessons 30 to 33

Lesson 30: Dit, dat as predicatives may refer to a plural (and 2 more)

Dit and dat before a plural

Dit and dat can point to a plural noun. They keep their one form. Only the verb becomes plural.

In dat zijn mooie boeken, the subject is mooie boeken. Dat is predicative: it says what they are. The verb is zijn, not is.

English says these and those here. Dutch keeps dit and dat for any gender and any number.

Wat mooie boeken waren dat! The verb waren is plural, and dat stays dat.

A demonstrative in place of hij

Deze, die or dat can stand in place of hij or hem. This keeps clear which person or thing is meant.

A personal pronoun is a pronoun for a person or thing, such as hij or hem. A demonstrative replaces it when a noun is already named.

Hij riep zijn vriend, maar deze hoorde hem niet. Here deze is the friend, not the man who called.

Wij schreven aan de secretaris van de vereniging, maar die antwoordde niet. Die is the secretary.

The one named last, the one named first

A sentence can name two people and then speak of each one. Deze and die tell them apart.

Deze is the one named last. Die is the one named first. De eerste and de laatste often go with them, to make it clearer.

Caesar en Alexander waren beide grote generaals. De eerste veroverde Gallië, de laatste Azië. Caesar is de eerste. Alexander is de laatste.

Older Dutch had gene for the earlier one, paired with deze. That pair is not in the modern language.

1
Those are nice books.
Datthat; that (conjunction)
zijnhis; to be
mooiebeautiful
boeken.books
2
What nice books those were!
3
These are my brothers.
4
He called his friend, but he did not hear him.
5
We wrote to the secretary of the club, but he did not answer.

Dit, dat as predicatives may refer to a plural

When dit or dat is used as a predicate, it may refer to a plural noun as well as a singular one, whatever the gender or number of that noun; dit and dat themselves stay unchanged, and only the verb agrees with the plural. Dat zijn mooie boeken, those are nice books. Wat mooie boeken waren dat, what nice books those were. Dit zijn mijn broers, these are my brothers.

Deze, die, dat instead of a personal pronoun

Deze, die or dat may stand in for a personal pronoun when a noun has already been named, so it stays clear which person or thing is meant. Hij riep zijn vriend, maar deze hoorde hem niet, he called his friend, but he did not hear him. Wij schreven aan de secretaris van de vereniging, maar die antwoordde niet, we wrote to the secretary of the club, but he did not answer.

Deze and die referring to two things already named

Deze and die can refer back to two things or two people already named: deze for the one named last, die for the one named first, often paired with de eerste and de laatste for extra clarity. Caesar en Alexander waren beide grote generaals: de eerste veroverde Gallië, de laatste Azië. Older Dutch also had a matching word for the earlier of the two, gene, paired with deze for the later; that pair has dropped out of the modern language, and Multatuli is the last place most readers meet it.

English this, these are not always dit, deze

English this and these are not always dit and deze. In the phrase by this, Dutch uses nu instead: I believe they are ready by this, ik geloof dat zij nu wel klaar zijn. Before a noun naming a stretch of time just before or after the present moment, Dutch uses a negative time phrase rather than this: I have not seen him these two months, ik heb hem in geen twee maanden gezien; I shall not be ready this half hour yet, ik zal nog in geen half uur klaar zijn. When this stands for this place, Dutch needs a noun or an adverb of place: I will go away from this, ik zal deze plaats verlaten; you shall leave this tomorrow, jij zult hier morgen vandaan moeten.

The relative pronoun is never left out

In Dutch the relative pronoun is never left out, as it sometimes is in English. Het geld, dat stom is, maakt recht wat krom is, it's money makes the mare go. De man die ik gezien heb, the man I have seen. Het boek dat ik verloren heb, the book I have lost.

Welke: elevated style, and two relative clauses

As a rule welke belongs to formal or written style only; ordinary speech uses die or dat. It appears instead of die when the main clause opens with the demonstrative die, and it appears in one of two relative clauses when one depends on the other, so the two stay easy to tell apart. Die bewijzen die jij aanvoert, waren al bekend, such proofs as you give were known already. De jongen, die de boeken vergeten heeft welke hij moest meebrengen, is gestraft, the boy who has forgotten the books which he was to bring has been punished.

Die, never welke, after a personal pronoun

If the relative pronoun refers back to a personal pronoun, die is used, never welke. Ik, die het gezien heb, I who have seen it. Jij, die het zelf gelezen hebt, you who have read it yourself.

Wat or hetgeen for a whole clause

Wat or hetgeen is used when the relative pronoun refers back to a whole clause rather than to a single noun; wat is the everyday choice, hetgeen the literary one. Hij weet niets van onze afspraak, wat mij zeer verwondert, he knows nothing of our agreement, which astonishes me very much. De rivier was buiten haar oevers getreden, wat ons noodzaakte terug te keren, the river had overflowed its banks, which forced us to return.

Waarvan, waarmee and the like for a preposition plus the relative pronoun

Instead of a preposition followed by the relative pronoun, Dutch often uses a pronominal adverb, waarvan, waardoor, waarmee, waarin and so on, for things. De pen waarmee ik schrijf, is slecht, the pen I write with is a bad one. For a person the preposition stays in front of wie: Onze buurman heeft drie jongens, van wie de oudste mijn vriend is, our neighbour has three boys, the eldest of whom is my friend. De generaal over wie hij spreekt, the general of whom he speaks.

Wie? and welk(e)? for who and which

Wie? answers to English who and to which when asking after a person. Wie komen daar, who comes there? Wie van u riep mij, which of you called me? Which? asking after a thing is rendered by welk(e)? Welk huis is verkocht, which house has been sold?

Wiens and van wie

The genitive of wie is wiens, often expressed instead with van wie. Wiens tuin is dit? or Van wie is deze tuin? whose garden is this? Van onze buurman, our neighbour's.

Wat? beside welke or wat voor een?

Wat? answers to what? but when what is used adjectivally with a noun naming a person or thing, welke or wat voor een must be used instead. Welke moeder was ooit zo gelukkig, what mother was ever so happy? Welk boek heb jij gekocht, what book have you bought? Wie riep mij? Een knecht. Welke? Who called me? A manservant. Which? What is often used in exclamations, where Dutch needs wat voor een or wat een, which can be split apart: Wat voor een luie bengel is hij! or Wat is hij toch een luie bengel! What a lazy fellow he is! Wat een hete dag is dit! What a hot day is this!

Waarvan? and the like for a preposition plus wat

Instead of a preposition followed by wat, the pronominal adverbs waarvan, waarmee, waarover and so on are often used. Waarvan spreek jij, what are you talking of? Waarmee schrijf jij, what are you writing with? Waarover lach jij, what are you laughing at?

What answering to hoe

In some set phrases English what answers to Dutch hoe. Hoe is uw naam, what is your name? Hoe noem jij dit in het Engels, what do you call this in English? Hoe laat is het, what o'clock is it? Compare: De hoeveelste is het, what day of the month is it?

Al, alle, allen, alles

Al, alle, allen, alles all mean all. Alle mensen zijn sterfelijk, all men are mortal. Alle soldaten van dit regiment zijn omgekomen, all the soldiers of this regiment have perished. Het is niet alles goud wat blinkt, all is not gold that glitters. Al wat ik weet, heb ik je geschreven, I have written you all I know. All (the) is often rendered in Dutch by the adjective heel or geheel. De hele dag, all day; het hele jaar, all the year; de hele natuur, all nature; heel Engeland, all England; heel Afrika, all Africa; heel het land, all the country. Zijn boeken lagen door de hele kamer heen, his books were lying all about the room. Dit alles is waar, all this is true. Alle dagen, weken, jaren, every day, week, year. Ik zal je alles schrijven, I shall write you everything. De soldaat moet in alles gehoorzamen, the soldier must obey in everything.

Beide = both

Beide means both; but een van beide means one of the two. Beide kinderen waren hier, both children were here. Beiden zeiden dat zij het gezien hadden, both said that they had seen it. Wij beiden, both of us. Voor ons beiden, for both of us.

Geen van beide, geen: neither

Geen van beide or geen mean neither, not either, not any. Geen van mijn beide kinderen, neither of my children. Aan geen van beide kanten, on neither side. Ik ken geen van beiden, I do not know either of them. Heb je appels? Nee, we hebben er geen gehad. Have you any apples? No, we have not had any. None is often rendered by niet, niets or niemand. Jouw stem is niet van de sterkste, your voice is none of the strongest. Een weinig geld is beter dan niets, some money is better than none. Niemand van ons heeft het gezien, none of us has seen it.

Ander, andere(n): other, another

Ander, andere(n) mean other, others; een ander means another. Laat anderen slim zijn, let others be wise. Geef mij een ander boek, give me another book. When another means a second, a third, a fourth thing of the same kind, Dutch uses nog een: Neem nog een stukje ham, take another piece of ham. Wil je nog een kopje koffie, will you have another cup of coffee? Also: the other day is onlangs, not another word is geen woord meer, some day or other is de een of andere dag.

Nog, geen meer, anders

Nog (enige) means any, some, more; geen meer means no more; anders means else. Note where meer and anders stand! Heb je nog huizen, have you any houses? De koning heeft nog vijf kinderen, the king has five more children. Neem nog enige stukjes, take some more pieces! We hadden geen geld meer, we had no money left. De jongen heeft geen ouders meer, the boy has lost his parents. Wat zal ik anders geven, what else shall I give? Wat kon ik anders doen, what else could I do?

Men, like French on

Men, like French on, is used much more than English one; it often stands where English uses we, you, they, people, a man or a passive construction. Men ziet de gebreken van een ander eerder dan zijn eigen, we see other men's faults sooner than our own. Als men de stad nadert, ziet men dadelijk de torens, as you approach the town, you see the towers immediately. Men zegt dat alle regimenten verslagen zijn, they say all the regiments have been beaten. Men kan rijk zijn zonder gelukkig te zijn, a man may be rich without being happy. Men stond verbaasd over dit nieuwe toneel, people were amazed at this new scene. Men lachte hem uit, he was laughed at. Men zegt dat hij geleerd is, he is said to be a learned man. Men verwachtte dat alles gereed was, everything was expected to be ready.

6
Caesar and Alexander were both great generals.
7
The former conquered Gaul, the latter Asia.

Lesson 30: English this, these are not always dit, deze

Three places where this is not dit

English this does not always become dit or deze. Dutch has three other ways.

For by this, Dutch uses nu. Ik geloof dat zij nu wel klaar zijn.

Before a stretch of time just before or after now, Dutch uses a negative phrase with geen. Ik heb hem in geen twee maanden gezien.

For this place, Dutch needs a noun or an adverb of place. Ik zal deze plaats verlaten. Jij zult hier morgen vandaan moeten.

8
I believe they are ready by this.
9
I have not seen him these two months.
10
I shall not be ready this half hour yet.
11
I will go away from this.
12
You shall leave this tomorrow.

Lesson 30: The relative pronoun is never left out (and 2 more)

Dutch always says that or who

English can leave out the relative pronoun: the man I have seen. Dutch never leaves it out.

A relative clause is a clause that starts with a relative pronoun and describes a noun.

De man die ik gezien heb. Die starts the relative clause and links it to de man.

Het boek dat ik verloren heb. Here the relative pronoun is dat.

Welke is for formal writing

Welke is a relative pronoun for formal or written style. Ordinary speech uses die or dat.

In writing, welke replaces die when the main clause opens with the demonstrative die. In speech die stays: Die bewijzen die jij aanvoert, waren al bekend.

Welke also separates two relative clauses when one depends on the other. The two clauses are then easy to tell apart.

De jongen, die de boeken vergeten heeft welke hij moest meebrengen, is gestraft.

After ik or jij, use die

When the relative pronoun refers back to a personal pronoun such as ik or jij, Dutch uses die. It never uses welke.

Ik, die het gezien heb. Jij, die het zelf gelezen hebt.

The verb takes the form of the personal pronoun: heb after ik, hebt after jij.

13
It's money makes the mare go.
14
The man I have seen.
15
The book I have lost.
16
Such proofs as you give were already known.
17
The boy who has forgotten the books which he was to bring has been punished.

18
I who have seen it.
19
You who have read it yourself.

Lesson 30: Wat or hetgeen for a whole clause (and 1 more)

A relative pronoun for a whole clause

Some relative pronouns refer to a whole clause, not to one noun. In he knows nothing, which astonishes me, which means the whole fact.

Dutch uses wat or hetgeen here. Wat is the everyday choice. Hetgeen is the literary one.

Hij weet niets van onze afspraak, wat mij zeer verwondert.

De rivier was buiten haar oevers getreden, wat ons noodzaakte terug te keren.

Waarmee for things, wie for people

For things, Dutch often uses a pronominal adverb in place of a preposition plus the relative pronoun: waarvan, waardoor, waarmee, waarin.

De pen waarmee ik schrijf, is slecht.

For a person, the preposition stays in front of wie. De generaal over wie hij spreekt.

Onze buurman heeft drie jongens, van wie de oudste mijn vriend is.

20
He knows nothing of our agreement, which astonishes me very much.
21
The river had overflowed its banks, which forced us to return.
22
The pen I write with is a bad one.
23
Our neighbour has three boys, the eldest of whom is my friend.
24
The general of whom he speaks.

Lesson 30: Wie? and welk(e)? for who and which (and 1 more)

Wie asks about people, welk about things

Wie asks who. It also asks which, when the question is about a person. Wie komen daar? Wie van u riep mij?

Welk or welke asks which, when the question is about a thing. Welk huis is verkocht?

Two ways to ask whose

Wiens is the genitive of wie. It means whose. Wiens tuin is dit?

Dutch often says van wie instead. Van wie is deze tuin?

The answer can use van too. Van onze buurman.

25
Who comes there?
26
Which of you called me?
27
Which house has been sold?
28
Whose garden is this?
29
Whose garden is this?
30
Our neighbour's.

Lesson 30: Wat? beside welke or wat voor een? (and 1 more)

Welke instead of wat before a noun

Wat? means what. Before a noun for a person or thing, Dutch uses welke or wat voor een instead.

Welke moeder was ooit zo gelukkig? Welk boek heb jij gekocht?

Welke can also stand alone as a question. Wie riep mij? Een knecht. Welke?

What a, in an exclamation

In an exclamation, English what a is wat voor een or wat een in Dutch. Wat and een can be split apart.

Wat voor een luie bengel is hij! Wat is hij toch een luie bengel!

Wat een hete dag is dit!

Waar plus a preposition asks what

In a question about a thing, Dutch often uses a pronominal adverb in place of a preposition plus wat: waarvan, waarmee, waarover.

Waarvan spreek jij? Waarmee schrijf jij? Waarover lach jij?

The English questions end in a preposition: talking of, writing with, laughing at. In Dutch the preposition is part of the first word.

31
What mother was ever so happy?
32
What book have you bought?
33
What a lazy fellow he is!
34
What a hot day is this!
35
What are you talking of?

36
What are you writing with?
37
What are you laughing at?

Lesson 30: What answering to hoe

Hoe where English says what

In a few fixed phrases, English what is hoe in Dutch.

Hoe is uw naam? Hoe noem jij dit in het Engels? Hoe laat is het?

Compare De hoeveelste is het? It asks what day of the month it is.

38
What is your name?
39
What do you call this in English?
40
What o'clock is it?
41
What day of the month is it?

Lesson 30: Al, alle, allen, alles

Four words for all

Al, alle, allen and alles all mean all.

Alle stands before a plural noun. Alle mensen zijn sterfelijk.

Alles can mean everything. Ik zal je alles schrijven. Het is niet alles goud wat blinkt.

Al wat ik weet, heb ik je geschreven.

Heel for the whole of one thing

For all the, Dutch often uses the adjective heel or geheel. De hele dag. Heel Engeland.

Dit alles is waar. Here alles follows the demonstrative dit.

42
All men are mortal.
43
All is not gold that glitters.
44
I have written you all I know.
45
All day.
46
All England.

47
All this is true.
48
I shall write you everything.

Lesson 30: Beide = both

Beide and beiden

Beide means both. It stands before a noun. Beide kinderen waren hier.

Beiden stands without a noun. Beiden zeiden dat zij het gezien hadden.

It also follows wij and ons. Wij beiden. Voor ons beiden.

Een van beide means one of the two.

49
Both children were here.
50
Both said that they had seen it.
51
Both of us.
52
For both of us.

Lesson 30: Geen van beide, geen: neither

Neither

Geen van beide and geen mean neither, not either, not any. Geen van mijn beide kinderen.

Ik ken geen van beiden.

Heb je appels? Nee, we hebben er geen gehad.

None, in other words

Where English says none, Dutch often uses niet, niets or niemand.

Een weinig geld is beter dan niets.

Niemand van ons heeft het gezien.

53
Neither of my children.
54
I do not know either of them.
55
Have you any apples? No, we have not had any.
56
Some money is better than none.
57
None of us has seen it.

Lesson 30: Ander, andere(n): other, another

Other and another

Ander and andere mean other. Anderen means others. Laat anderen slim zijn.

Een ander means another. Geef mij een ander boek.

Another of the same kind

When another means one more thing of the same kind, Dutch uses nog een. Neem nog een stukje ham.

Wil je nog een kopje koffie?

58
Let others be wise.
59
Give me another book.
60
Take another piece of ham.
61
Will you have another cup of coffee?

Lesson 30: Nog, geen meer, anders

Nog means more, anders means else

Nog means any, some or more. Heb je nog huizen? De koning heeft nog vijf kinderen.

Geen meer means no more. Anders means else.

Where meer and anders stand

Meer and anders do not stand where English puts more and else.

Meer comes after the noun. We hadden geen geld meer.

Anders comes after the subject. Wat zal ik anders geven? Wat kon ik anders doen?

62
Have you any houses?
63
The king has five more children.
64
Take some more pieces!
65
We had no money left.
66
What else shall I give?
67
What else could I do?

Lesson 30: Men, like French on

Men, a word for anyone

Dutch uses men much more than English uses one.

Where English says we, you, they, people or a man, Dutch often says men. Men zegt dat alle regimenten verslagen zijn.

Men also stands where English uses the passive. Men lachte hem uit means he was laughed at.

Men ziet de gebreken van een ander eerder dan zijn eigen.

68
We see other men's faults sooner than our own.
69
As you approach the town, you see the towers immediately.
70
They say all the regiments have been beaten.
71
A man may be rich without being happy.
72
He was laughed at.

Peter de Grote op de werf van de Oost-Indische Compagnie. (Vervolg.)

73
Peter the Great at the yard of the East India Company. (Continued.)
74
Peter found the dwelling at the yard very much to his liking and moved into it with a small retinue, among whom was a certain Prince Bagration, and probably also Count Peter Apraxin, later Lord High Admiral of Russia.
75
The former made himself especially well liked by conforming in every respect to the wishes of the tsar.

76
He paid very close attention to everything he saw or heard, so that he soon knew all the technical terms of shipbuilding and seafaring by heart.
77
Aboard the boeier, too, he soon became a skilled and capable skipper.
78
At first the tsar's table was served by the innkeeper of the Heren-logement, but Peter soon grew tired of that, and he kept house for himself.

79
Accustomed to rising early, he had no fixed time for the midday meal, but ate whenever he was hungry; he then lit his own little fire and cooked the pot himself.
80
In every way he lived there as a ship's carpenter, and chose to be called Pieter Timmerman van Zaandam.
81
In the year 1754 there still lived a trustworthy commodore, who related that he had many times seen the tsar, dressed as a workman, at his work.
82
If anyone came to speak with him, he would sit down on the crooked timbers with the axe between his legs.

Lesson 30: conversation

83
Who was a certain Prince Bagration to Peter?
84
By what did the former make himself especially well liked?
85
Who first served the tsar's table?
86
What did Peter do once he soon grew tired of that?
87
He belonged to Peter's small retinue at the yard.
88
He made himself well liked by conforming in every respect to the wishes of the tsar.
89
At first the innkeeper of the Herenlogement served the tsar's table.
90
He kept his own household and cooked the pot himself.

91
What did Peter call himself as a ship's carpenter?
92
What did Peter do if someone came to speak with him?
93
He called himself Pieter Timmerman van Zaandam.
94
He would sit down on the crooked timbers with the axe between his legs.

Lesson 30: exercise 67

95
Who are these gentlemen?
96
Those are my cousins, shall I introduce you?
97
I believe they are ready by this.
98
He was a man whom we all knew to be worthy of such a reward.

99
He was neither overexalted by prosperity, nor too much depressed by misfortune; which marks a great mind.
100
It is not all gold that glitters.
101
Nothing is grander than a large range of lofty mountains, the summits of which, covered with eternal snows, rise up to the clouds.

102
A large piece of coral-rock, which was brought up with a fish-hook from the bottom of the sea, was remarkable for the great variety and abundance of the animals that lived on it.
103
These are my old friends, on whom I can rely.
104
I have heard of several cases, in which payment of this tax was flatly refused.

105
There are in your immediate neighbourhood men enough who would willingly undertake that task; why should you therefore look anywhere else?
106
Nothing more natural than that we entertain a sentiment of respect and love towards those great poets, such as Shakespeare and Goethe whose works will remain instructive and delightful to mankind until the most distant periods, and with whose spirit we can daily hold communion.
107
What was the party of King Charles the First of England called, and what were the supporters of Parliament called?

108
Such noble, disinterested minds are very rare, that is to say in real life; behind the foot-lights they form a very necessary element on the boards which represent the world.
109
He was supposed to be the cause of all her misery.
110
Neurenberg which Gustave Adolph called the apple of his eye, and which he defended with so much exertion against Wallenstein's threatening sword, resolved to erect a statue to his benefactor.

Lesson 30: exercise 68

111
Have you lately met our friend N.?
112
No, Sir, I have not seen him these three months.
113
I am told, he will leave this place.
114
I do not believe so, I rather think he has been ill.
115
I am going to ask him whether he will go with us to Belgium to visit the Ardennes.
116
Or do you prefer a trip to the Semois-valley?
117
Both parts of Belgium are beautiful.

118
I do not know either of them.
119
Then let us go to our friend and ask him which he prefers.
120
What o'clock is it?
121
It is just half past two.
122
Please go by yourself, I am very busy just now.
123
I hope you will be kind enough to tell me as soon as possible all you have agreed with our friend.
124
Have you any guides to Belgium?

125
No, I have none.
126
I wrote to the bookseller in A., but he has not yet answered.
127
They say that your bookseller is a very lazy man, write to Mr. B., the other day he sent me the books I ordered within three days.
128
Will you have another glass of beer before you leave me?
129
No, thank you, I must go home, perhaps they are waiting for me in the office.
130
Have another cigar then.
131
Thank you.

132
What a hot day this is!
133
Yes, it is almost a summer day.
134
I hope we shall have such fine weather next month.
135
I hope so too, but they say we are going to have a wet summer.
136
Goodbye, [my] dear friend, I must go now.

Lesson 30: exercise 69

137
What o'clock is it, Henry?
138
It is twelve o'clock.
139
It is noon.
140
Come to the garden then.
141
Now, where is the sun?
142
Turn your face towards it.
143
Look at the sun.

144
That is South.
145
Always when it is twelve o'clock, and you look at the sun, your face is towards the South.
146
Now turn to your left.
147
Look forward.
148
That is East.
149
In the morning, when it is going to be light, you must look just there, and you will see the sun rise.
150
Always in the morning look there for the sun; for it rises in the East.

Lesson 30: exercise 70

151
I am a kettle.
152
You have often seen me at work boiling water for your breakfast, dinner or tea.
153
Do you know what I am made of?
154
I will tell you.
155
I am made of iron; because iron will bear a great heat.
156
Here is my friend the coffee-pot.
157
Do you know what he is made of?

158
No.
159
Then I will tell you.
160
My friend the coffee-pot is made of tin.
161
He sometimes sits beside me on the hob.
162
I often pour water into him hot enough to scald him, if he could only feel it.
163
Now you shall see a family of my friends.
164
Without them I should not be so useful as I am.

165
Here they are.
166
In the middle you see the tea-pot, and all around her the cups and saucers, just like a hen and her chickens.
167
The coffee-pot and the tea-pot are my two greatest friends.
168
I have not so much to do with the cups and saucers as my two friends have.
169
But I often see them, and I know of what they are made.
170
Cups and saucers are made of clay, and are baked in an oven to make them hard.
171
I must bid you good afternoon, as I am wanted to boil the water for the tea.

Lesson 30: exercise 71

172
What is a light-house?
173
A light-house is a house in the shape of a tall pillar or tower.
174
At the top there is a little room, with windows all around, in which a light is kept burning all night.

175
Who keeps the light burning?
176
A man lives in the light-house, whose work it is to keep the lamps clean and bright.
177
His wife and family often live there with him, and help him in his work.
178
Sometimes the sea is so stormy that these people cannot go on land for weeks together.
179
Neither can any one on land go to them.

Lesson 31: Concord: the verb agrees with its subject (and 1 more)

The verb follows the subject

A Dutch verb always matches its subject in number and person.

A collective noun is a singular word for a group, such as committee, enemy or cattle. Dutch gives a collective noun a singular verb.

De vergadering was eenstemmig uses was, the singular. Het vee graast uses graast, also singular.

The English translations use plural verbs. Look at the Dutch verb, not the English one.

Als or tot before the new title

English says they made him king, with nothing between him and king. Dutch needs a joining word there, als or tot.

This holds after the verbs for appoint, elect, make, name and proclaim. Het volk benoemde hem tot koning. De generaal benoemde hem tot kapitein.

When the added words describe the subject, not the object, Dutch uses als. In Hij keerde terug als een oud man, the old man is hij.

180
The committee were of one mind.
181
The enemy were flying in every direction.
182
The cattle are grazing on the downs.
183
People appointed him king.
184
The general named him captain.
185
He returned an old man.

Concord: the verb agrees with its subject

In Dutch a verb always agrees with its subject in number and person, and a collective noun takes a singular verb. De vergadering was eenstemmig, the committee were of one mind. De vijand vluchtte naar alle kanten, the enemy were flying in every direction. Het vee graast in de duinen, the cattle are grazing on the downs.

Appoint, elect, make, name, proclaim need als or tot

The verbs to appoint, to elect, to make, to name, to proclaim, which take a plain object in English, need a connecting word, als or tot, in Dutch. People appointed, elected, made, proclaimed him king, het volk benoemde, koos, maakte, riep hem uit tot koning. The general named him captain, de generaal benoemde hem tot kapitein. When the added word qualifies the subject rather than the object, Dutch uses als. Hij keerde terug als een oud man, he returned an old man.

Verbs transitive in English, intransitive in Dutch

Some verbs are transitive in English but intransitive in Dutch: to become is passen; to prefer is de voorkeur geven aan; to displease is niet bevallen; to please is behagen or bevallen; to oppose is zich verzetten tegen; to resemble is gelijken op; to indulge is zich overgeven aan; to resist is weerstand bieden aan; to obey is gehoorzamen aan. Ik geef aan bier de voorkeur boven wijn, I prefer beer to wine. Hij verzette zich tegen de wens van zijn vader, he opposed his father's wish. Gehoorzamen aan een wachtwoord, to obey a watchword.

English intransitive verbs used causatively

When an English intransitive verb is used in a causative sense, Dutch renders it with another verb, or with a verb plus preposition. Een vlieger oplaten, to fly a kite. Hij liet het hoofd hangen, he hung his head. Hij zwom met zijn paard over de rivier, he swam his horse across the river.

Impersonal verbs

Some verbs are impersonal in Dutch, though personal in English. Het bevalt me, I like it, I am pleased with it. Het lukt me, I succeed. Het ontbreekt me aan geduld, I am wanting in patience. Het spijt me, I am sorry. Het verheugt me, I rejoice. Het verwondert me, I wonder, I am surprised. For I repent and I remember, Dutch reaches for a personal construction: ik heb er spijt van, I repent; ik herinner het me, I remember.

Impersonal expressions rendered by personal verbs

Some impersonal expressions are rendered by personal verbs. Hoe gaat het, how are you? Het gaat hem goed, he is doing well. Zo gaat het in de wereld, so the world runs. Het is slecht reizen met een lege beurs, it is bad travelling with an empty purse. Het is niet waarschijnlijk dat u zult slagen, you are not likely to succeed. Het staat u vrij, you are free. Ik was toevallig thuis, I happened to be at home.

Reflexive verbs rendered in English by a passive

The following reflexive verbs are rendered in English by a passive verb. Zich bedroeven over iets, to be grieved at something. Zich ergeren over iets, to be vexed at something. Zich schamen voor iets, to be ashamed of something. Zich verbazen over iets, to be astonished at something. Zich vergissen, to be mistaken. Druk in de weer zijn, to bestir oneself, to busy oneself.

Verbs reflexive in Dutch, plain in English

The following verbs are reflexive in Dutch and intransitive, or rarely transitive, in English: zich aanmatigen to assume, zich aantrekken to take to heart, zich afgeven met to mix, to associate, zich baden to bathe, zich begeven naar to repair to, zich beklagen over to complain of, zich bekommeren om to care for, zich bemoeien met to mind, to meddle with, zich beroemen op to boast of, zich beroepen op to appeal to, zich bewegen to move, zich buigen to bend, zich erbarmen to have mercy, zich gedragen to behave, zich moeite geven to take pains, zich gevoelen to feel, zich haasten to hasten, zich herinneren to remember, zich herstellen to recover, zich inschepen to embark, zich kleden to dress, zich koesteren to bask, zich gereedmaken to get ready, zich van kant maken to commit suicide, zich meester maken van to seize upon, zich neerleggen to lie down, zich neerzetten to sit down, or to settle, zich oefenen in to practise, zich omkeren to turn round, zich onderhouden to converse, zich onderstaan to presume, zich onderwerpen to submit, zich onthouden van to abstain from, zich openen to open, zich oplossen to dissolve, zich overgeven to surrender, zich richten naar to conform to, zich voor de geest roepen to call to mind, zich scheren to shave, zich schikken naar to comply with, zich sluiten to shut, zich storen aan to care about, zich terugtrekken to retire, zich toebereiden to prepare, zich toerusten to prepare, or to equip, zich uitstrekken to extend, zich verbazen over to wonder at, zich verbeelden to fancy, zich verbreiden to spread, zich verenigen to unite, zich vergewissen to ascertain, zich vergissen to be mistaken, zich verheugen to rejoice, zich verkneuteren in to revel in, zich verlaten op to rely on, zich verlustigen to delight, zich vermengen to mix, zich verrekenen to miscalculate, zich verschaffen to procure, zich verschrijven to make a slip in writing, zich verspreiden to disperse, or to spread, zich verspreken to make a slip in speaking, zich verstouten to make bold, zich verstrooien to disperse, zich verwaardigen to condescend, zich verwijderen to withdraw, zich verwonderen over to wonder at, zich verzamelen to assemble, zich verzetten tegen to oppose, zich vestigen to settle, zich voeden met to feed on, to live on, zich voegen bij to join, zich voornemen to make up one's mind, zich wachten voor to beware of, zich wagen to venture, zich wassen to wash, zich laten welgevallen to put up with, zich wenden tot to turn to, to apply to, zich wikkelen to engage. Elkander ontmoeten means to meet. Wanneer hebben jullie elkaar het laatst ontmoet, when did you meet last? Very few verbs are reflexive in English and intransitive, or transitive, in Dutch: to avail oneself is te baat nemen, to betake oneself is zijn toevlucht nemen tot, to pride oneself on is roem dragen op.

The passive: the indirect object stays the indirect object

An active construction is made passive the same way as in English, except that the indirect object does not turn into the subject of the passive sentence. Ik onderwees hem de Nederlandse taal, I taught him the Dutch language, becomes De Nederlandse taal werd hem door mij onderwezen, the Dutch language was taught him, or he was taught it. Ik vertelde hem de geschiedenis, I told him the story, becomes De geschiedenis werd hem door mij verteld, the story was told him, or he was told the story. For emphasis: hem werd de geschiedenis door mij verteld. Mij wordt verteld, I am told. Also: Zij zorgden voor hem, they took care of him, becomes Voor hem werd gezorgd, he was taken care of.

Er wordt, er werd

When the Dutch sentence has no other subject, er is translated by there. Er wordt aan de deur geklopt, there's a knock at the door. Er werd veel gepraat, there was a great deal of talking. When the subject of the sentence is a whole clause, er is translated by it. Er werd besloten om het huis te verkopen, it was resolved to sell the house. Er wordt vermoed dat hij omgekomen is, it is supposed that he has perished. Er is not translated at all when the subject of the sentence is a noun. Er werd een bijeenkomst gehouden, a meeting was held. Er werd een huis verkocht, a house was sold.

Zijn with an active infinitive for an English passive infinitive

After the verb zijn an active infinitive is often used where English uses a passive infinitive. Zulke mensen zijn te beklagen, such men are to be pitied. Mijn boeken waren nergens te vinden, my books were nowhere to be found. Het is te vrezen, te verwachten, it is to be feared, expected. Zijn is sometimes replaced by blijven, staan, vallen. Dit staat te bewijzen, this is to be proved. Het valt niet te ontkennen, it is not to be denied. Het blijft te bewijzen, it remains to be proved.

No progressive passive in Dutch

The progressive form of the passive voice, as English uses it, does not exist in Dutch. Hij wordt geschoren, he is being shaved. Dit boek wordt geprezen, this book is being praised. Het huis wordt gebouwd, the house is building. De koeien worden gemolken, the cows are milking.

Worden as a copula: to become, get, grow, turn

If worden is followed by a noun or an adjective, it does not express the passive voice; it is then a copula, matching French devenir and English to become, to get, to grow, to turn. Hij werd timmerman, he became a carpenter. Hij werd in eens rijk, he became rich at once. Het wordt duister, it is getting dark. Groot, oud worden, to grow tall, old. Bleek worden, to turn pale. De melk werd zuur, the milk turned sour. Ziek worden, to fall ill. Krankzinnig worden, to go mad.

Lesson 31: Verbs transitive in English, intransitive in Dutch (and 1 more)

Some Dutch verbs take no direct object

An intransitive verb takes no direct object. Some verbs are transitive in English but intransitive in Dutch.

Many of these Dutch verbs reach the person or thing through a preposition. English says to obey a watchword. Dutch says gehoorzamen aan een wachtwoord, with aan.

Hij verzette zich tegen de wens van zijn vader means he opposed his father's wish. Ik geef aan bier de voorkeur boven wijn means I prefer beer to wine.

The list gives the English verb, then the Dutch. Learn each Dutch verb with its preposition.

Making something else do the action

A causative use of a verb means the subject makes someone or something else do the action. English says he swam his horse across the river.

English uses the same verb for both meanings. Dutch uses another verb, or a verb with a preposition.

Hij zwom met zijn paard over de rivier adds met zijn paard to zwom. Een vlieger oplaten uses oplaten for to fly a kite. Hij liet het hoofd hangen means he hung his head.

186
I prefer beer to wine.
187
He opposed his father's wish.
188
To obey a watchword.
189
To fly a kite.
190
He hung his head.
191
He swam his horse across the river.

Lesson 31: Impersonal verbs

Het as the subject of a feeling

Some feelings that English gives to a person take an impersonal verb in Dutch. Het is the subject, and the person comes after the verb.

Het bevalt me means I like it. Het lukt me means I succeed. Het spijt me means I am sorry. Het verwondert me means I wonder.

The pattern is het, the verb, then the person.

Two feelings with a personal verb

For I repent and I remember, Dutch uses a personal verb, with the person as the subject.

I repent is ik heb er spijt van. I remember is ik herinner het me.

192
I like it, I am pleased with it.
193
I succeed.
194
I am sorry.
195
I rejoice.
196
I wonder, I am surprised.

Lesson 31: Impersonal expressions rendered by personal verbs

Het in Dutch, a person in English

Some Dutch expressions have het as the subject. English says the same thing with a personal verb, with a person as the subject.

Hoe gaat het means how are you. Het gaat hem goed means he is doing well. Het staat u vrij means you are free.

Ik was toevallig thuis means I happened to be at home.

Learn each expression whole, with its meaning. A word for word translation does not work.

197
How are you?
198
He is doing well.
199
So the world runs.
200
It is bad travelling with an empty purse.
201
You are free.
202
I happened to be at home.

Lesson 31: Reflexive verbs rendered in English by a passive

A reflexive verb for an English passive

Some Dutch reflexive verbs are given in English by a passive: to be ashamed, to be astonished, to be mistaken.

Zich schamen voor iets means to be ashamed of something. Zich verbazen over iets means to be astonished at something. Zich vergissen means to be mistaken.

Most of these verbs take a preposition, such as over or voor. Learn the verb and its preposition together.

203
To be grieved at something.
204
To be vexed at something.
205
To be ashamed of something.
206
To be astonished at something.
207
To be mistaken.

Lesson 31: Verbs reflexive in Dutch, plain in English

Zich where English has none

Many verbs have zich in Dutch and no reflexive pronoun in English. English does not say I hasten myself. Dutch says zich haasten.

The list is for reference. Read an entry as zich, the verb, any preposition, then the English.

Zich herinneren means to remember. Zich verlaten op iemand means to rely on someone.

Elkander ontmoeten means to meet. Wanneer hebben jullie elkaar het laatst ontmoet means when did you meet last.

A very few verbs are reflexive in English and not in Dutch. To avail oneself is te baat nemen.

208
To hasten.
209
To remember.
210
To be mistaken.
211
To rely on someone.
212
To oppose something.

213
To make up one's mind to do something.
214
When did you meet last?

Lesson 31: The passive: the indirect object stays the indirect object

The receiver does not become the subject

Dutch makes a passive sentence in the same way as English, with one difference. The indirect object does not become the subject.

Ik vertelde hem de geschiedenis means I told him the story. The passive is De geschiedenis werd hem door mij verteld. The story is the subject.

Hem stays hem. English can say he was told the story. Dutch cannot make hem the subject.

For emphasis, hem can come first: hem werd de geschiedenis door mij verteld. Voor hem werd gezorgd means he was taken care of.

215
The Dutch language was taught him, or he was taught it.
216
The story was told him, or he was told the story.
217
I am told.
218
He was taken care of.

Lesson 31: Er wordt, er werd

Three ways to translate er

In er wordt and er werd, the word er is translated in three ways. The choice depends on the subject.

With no other subject, er means there. Er werd veel gepraat means there was a great deal of talking.

When the subject is a whole clause, er means it. Er werd besloten om het huis te verkopen means it was resolved to sell the house.

When the subject is a noun, er is not translated. Er werd een bijeenkomst gehouden means a meeting was held.

219
There's a knock at the door.
220
There was a great deal of talking.
221
It was resolved to sell the house.
222
A meeting was held.

Lesson 31: Zijn with an active infinitive for an English passive infinitive (and 1 more)

Te and an active infinitive after zijn

After zijn, Dutch often uses te and an active infinitive where English uses a passive infinitive.

Zulke mensen zijn te beklagen means such men are to be pitied. Mijn boeken waren nergens te vinden means my books were nowhere to be found.

Blijven, staan and vallen sometimes take the place of zijn. Dit staat te bewijzen means this is to be proved. Het valt niet te ontkennen means it is not to be denied.

The ordinary passive for is being

A progressive form shows an action that is going on. English has a progressive passive: he is being shaved. Dutch has no such form.

Dutch uses the ordinary passive with worden. Hij wordt geschoren means he is being shaved.

The same holds where the English reads the house is building: het huis wordt gebouwd. De koeien worden gemolken means the cows are milking.

223
Such men are to be pitied.
224
My books were nowhere to be found.
225
This is to be proved.
226
It is not to be denied.
227
He is being shaved.

228
The house is building.
229
The cows are milking.

Lesson 31: Worden as a copula: to become, get, grow, turn

Worden before a noun or adjective

When a noun or an adjective follows worden, it does not make a passive. It is a copula.

A copula is a verb that joins the subject to a word that describes it. Worden then means become, get, grow or turn.

Hij werd timmerman means he became a carpenter. Het wordt duister means it is getting dark. Bleek worden means to turn pale.

English picks a different verb each time: fall ill, go mad. Dutch uses worden for all of them: ziek worden, krankzinnig worden.

230
He became a carpenter.
231
It is getting dark.
232
To turn pale.
233
To fall ill.
234
To go mad.

Peter de Grote op de werf van de Oost-Indische Compagnie. (Slot.)

235
Peter the Great at the yard of the East India Company. (Conclusion.)
236
But this was not to last too long, before he put an end to it, to work the wood entrusted to him according to the mould or model.
237
A very distinguished man wished to see him work unnoticed once, and presented himself to the foreman for that purpose.

238
He promised to point out the tsar by saying his name, and it was not long before some workmen, carrying a heavy piece of wood, walked past them.
239
The foreman asked: “Pieter Timmerman van Zaandam, why do you not help those men?”
240
He obeyed at once, put his shoulder under it, and brought the piece of wood where it had to be.

241
It put him in a good mood here just as much as in Zaandam, when people simply called him Pieterbaas.
242
He turned his back on those who called him Your Majesty or Sir, when he was dressed as a ship's carpenter.
243
In the first days that he was at this yard, he received a letter from the Patriarch of Russia; he answered him, among other things, that in Amsterdam he followed the word of God spoken to Adam: “In the sweat of your face shall you eat your bread.”

Lesson 31: conversation

244
Are we in Amsterdam yet?
245
Can you recommend me a good hotel for Amsterdam?
246
Is the hotel X. good?
247
And the hotel Q., then?
248
No, sir, this is Haarlem.
249
Certainly, if you will just come along with me; I am very well acquainted with Amsterdam.
250
Yes indeed, but rather expensive.
251
That lies too far from the centre of the town.

252
Which hotel do you go to, then?
253
The last is worth a great deal to a stranger. This is the first time I have visited A.
254
The train is stopping; now we are surely there.
255
A small hotel in the Kalverstraat, very pleasantly situated and easy to find.
256
Then you will certainly have a good deal to see. A. is a peculiar town.
257
Yes, sir, this is Amsterdam. Please follow me!

Lesson 31: exercise 72

258
The chief food of the horse are oats and hay.
259
The only clothing of the ancient Britons were the skins of beasts.
260
I cannot blame you for going to sleep, who am myself tired to death.

261
Neither the emperor nor his generals were convinced.
262
One of the sailors had disappeared; he had mixed among the crowd, without anybody perceiving it.
263
The health of James the Second of England had been declining for some years: and at last, on Good Friday 1701, he had a shock from which he never recovered.

264
While attending the ceremonial service of the day in his chapel, he sank down, and remained senseless for some time.
265
The illness of the king seemed to be an attack of paralytic apoplexy.
266
Carnot was elected President of the French Republic some years ago.

267
Yesterday my uncle came back from the United States, he returned quite an old man.
268
I do not remember in what year he left us, do you?
269
I am sorry but I do not.
270
Is he doing well?
271
I thank you, he enjoyed good health all the time we did not see him.
272
Will you kindly ask him when I can visit him?
273
You may rely on my writing to him as soon as possible.

274
It will depend on circumstances, where and when we assemble.
275
All at once the natives rose against the colonists; a war broke out and spread to the neighbouring provinces.
276
Whilst the troops were embarking for Egypt, the commander-in-chief prepared to reach the scene of war by way of France and Italy.

277
As we must prepare for a hard winter, I have resolved on having a thick overcoat made.
278
Before I ventured into the enemy's country, I should first practise for some time the handling of fire arms.
279
He has applied himself with great zeal to a special branch of architecture, which he likes very much, viz. the building of castles in the air.
280
If this is the case he is not likely to succeed.

Lesson 31: exercise 73

281
The town-hall of B. will be a very fine building, it was still building, when I passed it three weeks ago.
282
By its insular seclusion England is secured from all attacks of a foreign enemy.
283
The ship was freighted with corn, after the damage suffered had been repaired.

284
While it was being loaded, the captain got leave to visit his relations.
285
After having thrown herself with a body of soldiers into the city of Compiegne, which was then besieged by the Duke of Burgundy, Joan of Arc was taken prisoner in 1430 in a sally she headed against the enemy, while the commander of the city shut the gates behind her.
286
The Duke of Bedford had scarcely been informed of her being taken prisoner, when he bought her from Count Vendome, who had made her a prisoner, and commanded her to be committed to close confinement.

287
My friend left this country six years ago and has been living since then in Pennsylvania.
288
John Huss was burnt alive in 1415 at Constance for heresy.
289
This strange story was told him, but he took no great interest in it.

290
There was a great deal of talking when we entered the concert-room.
291
A meeting was held there, before the concert began.
292
Have you read anything about the Austrian duke who left his country last year?
293
No, Sir, they know nothing about him, it is suspected that he has perished with all who were with him.

Lesson 31: exercise 74

294
Well, dear boy, I am glad to meet you in Paris.
295
How long have you been here?
296
And you have been enjoying yourself, I think?
297
Very much, indeed.
298
Paris, the capital of France, the centre of the world, is magnificent.
299
I have been here these six months, and I am bound to say, not a single day too many.
300
Time does not weigh heavily on a pleasure-loving man's hands.

301
All the time has been an uninterrupted series of amusements and instructive scenes.
302
Are you in Paris for the first time?
303
Yes, and I trust it will not be my last visit.
304
This is only a flying visit.
305
Are you quite alone?
306
At first I was, but by this time I have made some acquaintances, and not long ago I had the good luck to meet a former college-friend of mine who is staying now at the same hotel as myself.
307
He is of studious habits and is fond of attending scientific meetings and waiting on learned men.
308
My only aim is to enjoy myself as much as can be done in a fortnight's absence from home.

Lesson 32: Most intransitive verbs take zijn

Verbs without an object take zijn

Most intransitive verbs build the perfect tense with zijn, not hebben. English uses have for the same sentences.

Het kind is weggelopen, the child has run away. Zij zijn teruggekomen, they have come back.

In each sentence, look at the auxiliary. It is a form of zijn, and the past participle comes after it.

309
The child has run away.
310
They have come back.

Most intransitive verbs take zijn

Most intransitive verbs are conjugated with zijn. Het kind is weggelopen, the child has run away. Zij zijn teruggekomen, they have come back.

Intransitive verbs that take zijn, English have

The following intransitive verbs usually take zijn, though English uses to have: aankomen to arrive, afwijken to deviate, afstijgen to descend, blijven to remain, barsten to burst, doordringen to penetrate, doorgaan to continue, gaan to go, gelukken to succeed, genezen to recover, geraken to get into, geschieden to happen, inslapen to fall asleep, klimmen to climb, komen to come, landen to land, lopen to run, to walk, marcheren to march, omkomen to perish, ondergaan to perish or to set, ontgaan to forget, ontkomen to escape, ontlopen to run away from, ontwaken to awake, opgaan to rise, opstaan to get up, overeenkomen to agree, overlijden to expire, reizen to travel, rennen to run, rijden to ride, to drive, rijzen to rise, roesten to rust, rollen to roll, schrikken to be frightened, to start, sluipen in to sneak, to steal into, smelten to melt, springen to leap or to burst, sterven to die, stijgen to mount, storten to fall, teruggaan to go back, terugkeren to return, terugkomen to come back, trekken to wander, uitglijden to slip, vallen to fall, varen to navigate, verbasteren to degenerate, verbleken to turn pale, verdrinken to be drowned, verdorren to wither, verdwijnen to disappear, verlopen to expire (of time), verrotten to rot, verschijnen to appear, vertrekken to depart, verwelken to wither, vlieden to flee, vliegen to fly, vluchten to flee, volgen to follow, wassen to grow, weglopen to run away, wijken to yield, worden to become, zijn to be, zinken to sink, zwemmen to swim. Genezen with hebben means to cure. Ik heb lang gelopen, gemarcheerd, gerend denotes an action, not a state. Het is mij ontgaan means I forget; Dutch also says ik ben vergeten, compare ik heb vergeten, I have forgotten. Several of these (smelten, springen, stijgen, rollen, rijden, trekken, vliegen) denote an action, and take hebben, when used transitively; verdrinken with hebben is likewise transitive.

Hebben where English uses to be

In some expressions hebben is used where English uses to be. Dorst hebben, to be thirsty. Gebrek hebben, to be in want. Gelijk hebben, to be right. Haast hebben, to be in a hurry. Honger hebben, to be hungry. Ongelijk hebben, to be wrong. Tijd hebben, to be at leisure.

To be rendered another way

In many expressions to be is used where Dutch needs a different construction. To be about is op het punt zijn or staan. To be at one's wit's end is ten einde raad zijn. To be at stake is op het spel staan. To be early is vroeg komen. To be in time is op tijd komen. To be late is laat komen. To be on good terms is op goede voet staan. To be under the necessity is genoodzaakt zijn. My father is to start today, mijn vader vertrekt vandaag.

Had better, had rather

Sometimes English to be and to have correspond to Dutch moeten. For had better and had best, modern Dutch uses kunnen beter. Ik kan beter meteen vertrekken, I had better depart at once. Ik denk dat jij beter thuis kunt blijven, I think you had better stay at home. Ik zou liever alleen gaan, I had rather go by myself.

The defective verbs: also infinitive and compound tenses

The defective verbs are not only used in the present and past tenses, as in English, but also in the infinitive and in the compound tenses.

Kunnen, willen, moeten, mogen for another English verb

The Dutch infinitive is often used where English has a different verb: kunnen means to be able, to have the power of; niet kunnen means to be unable, to fail to; willen means to want, to be willing, to wish, to desire, to intend; niet willen means to refuse, to object, not to consent to, to decline; graag willen means to like, to choose, to have a mind; moeten (behoren) means should, ought to; moeten (gedwongen zijn) means to be obliged, forced, to have to; mogen means to be allowed, permitted, to be free to, to have permission.

Dutch future for English present, Dutch perfect for English past

The Dutch future is usually rendered in English by the present tense; the Dutch perfect by the past tense. Ik zal morgen niet kunnen komen, I cannot come tomorrow. Waarom heeft hij het niet willen doen? Why would he not do it?

Kunnen

Kunnen denotes a physical possibility, being able to do something: Kan hij al weer wandelen, can he walk again? A possibility granted by the speaker: Kan ik naar huis gaan, may I go home? Dat kan wel waar zijn, that may be true. Zou kunnen means could, might; had kunnen plus infinitive means could have or might have plus past participle. Hij had het kunnen weten, he might have known it. Ik kan niet nalaten means I cannot help or forbear. Ik kon niet nalaten te lachen, I could not forbear laughing.

Mogen

Mogen expresses the will of another person, and sometimes, in a general sense, to dare or venture: Je mag vandaag uitgaan, you are allowed to go out today. Men mag niet alles zeggen wat men weet, people dare not say all they know. It expresses the will of the speaker: Ik mag zulke boeken niet lezen, I do not like to read such books. It expresses a possibility granted by the speaker: Het mag waar zijn, it may be true. Mocht dat waar zijn, wees dan voorzichtig, should that be true, be prudent. It expresses a wish: Moge hij altijd gelukkig zijn! may he always be happy! And a condition: Mocht hij komen, roep me dan even, should he come, just call me then. Had mogen plus infinitive means might have plus past participle, or would have been allowed to. Als ik dit geweten had, had hij niet mogen uitgaan, if I had known this, he might not have gone out. Mag niet sometimes answers to English must not. Je mag hier niet roken, you must not smoke here.

Moeten

Moeten denotes necessity, duty or moral obligation, or certainty in the sense of cannot but: Wij moeten ons aan de wetten onderwerpen, we must submit to the laws. Hij moet zeker nu al thuis zijn, he surely must have arrived by this time. It denotes a report or supposition: Hij moet naar Londen gegaan zijn, he is said to have gone to London. Moeten may denote a duty left undone, answering to ought: Ik had een brief moeten schrijven, I ought to have written a letter. Moest denoting obligation means had to or was obliged to: Ik moest het doen, I had to do it. Je moest beter schrijven, you should write better.

Willen

Willen in its proper sense, denoting a will or a determination, answers to English will. Expressing a wish or a want it answers to to like, to want, to wish. Wat wil jij, what do you want (like)? Doe in alles zoals jij wilt, do as you like in everything. Willen can also mean to be going to, to be about to. Hij wilde net vertrekken, he was just going to depart. Expressing an assertion it answers to to pretend, to say. Willem wil het op straat gezien hebben, William pretends to have seen it in the street. Zou willen means would; had willen plus infinitive means would have plus past participle. Ik had het hem willen opdragen, I would have charged him with it. The infinitive willen is usually left untranslated when another infinitive follows: Zou jij dit voor mij willen overschrijven, would you kindly copy this for me. Zou graag willen means I should like to: Ik zou het kindje graag willen zien, I should like to see the baby.

Zullen plus another infinitive

Zullen followed by another infinitive is not used this way in English. Hij beloofde het te zullen zenden, he promised to send it. Ik hoop je spoedig te zullen zien, I hope to see you soon. Zal means shall or will; zou(den) means should or would. Ik zal zorg dragen dat hij zijn deel zal krijgen, I will take care that he shall have his share. Zou je berispt worden als je ging, would you be blamed if you went? Je zei dat je morgen in de stad zou zijn, you said you would be in town tomorrow.

Laten as an auxiliary

Laten is often used as an auxiliary joined to another verb, which follows it without te. It forms an imperative: Laat ik het eens proberen! let me try it! Laten we wat wandelen! let us take a walk! It means to let, to permit, to suffer: Ik laat hem gaan, I let him go. Hij laat zich beledigen, he suffers himself to be insulted. It answers to to cause, to get, to have, to make: Hij liet het huis herstellen, he caused the house to be repaired. Waar laat u uw boeken inbinden, where do you have your books bound? Ik zal mijn vriend wel het werk voor mij laten doen, I'll get my friend to do the work for me. It means to bid, to command, to desire, to order, to tell: Laat meneer binnenkomen, bid the gentleman come in. Hij liet de koetsier buiten wachten, he told the coachman to wait outside. De rechter liet de dief aanhouden, the judge ordered the thief to be arrested. Sometimes it means to leave, to let: Laat mij met rust, leave me alone. Laat dat liggen, leave that alone. Hij liet zijn paraplu in de gang staan, he left his umbrella in the hall. With the reflexive pronoun zich it carries the idea of it can be, it may be: Dat laat zich wel horen, it may be imagined. Dat laat zich gemakkelijk verklaren, this may easily be explained.

Lesson 32: Intransitive verbs that take zijn, English have

How to read the list

This list holds intransitive verbs that usually take zijn, though English says have. Each entry is a Dutch verb and its English meaning.

Gaan, to go. Blijven, to remain. Vallen, to fall.

In a sentence, each one takes zijn. Hij is gevallen, he has fallen. Wij zijn aangekomen, we have arrived.

Where hebben stays

Some verbs on the list take hebben when they denote an action, not a state. Ik heb lang gelopen is one.

Smelten, springen, stijgen, rollen, rijden, trekken and vliegen take hebben when they have a direct object. Verdrinken with hebben also has an object.

Genezen with hebben means to cure.

311
The child has run away.
312
They have come back.
313
He has fallen.
314
We have arrived.
315
He has died.

316
The sun has risen.
317
They have departed.
318
The ship has sunk.

Lesson 32: Hebben where English uses to be

Hebben for a state

Some states that English says with to be, Dutch says with hebben.

Dorst hebben means to be thirsty. Honger hebben means to be hungry. Haast hebben means to be in a hurry.

Gelijk hebben means to be right. Tijd hebben means to be at leisure.

Learn each phrase whole. The verb is always hebben.

319
To be thirsty.
320
To be right.
321
To be in a hurry.
322
To be hungry.
323
To be at leisure.

Lesson 32: To be rendered another way

English to be, another Dutch phrase

English uses to be in many fixed phrases. Dutch often needs a different construction for the same idea.

To be in time is op tijd komen. The Dutch verb is komen.

To be at stake is op het spel staan. To be on good terms is op goede voet staan. The Dutch verb is staan.

Some phrases keep zijn, as in ten einde raad zijn. Mijn vader vertrekt vandaag means my father is to start today.

324
To be at one's wit's end.
325
To be at stake.
326
To be in time.
327
To be on good terms.
328
My father is to start today.

Lesson 32: Had better, had rather (and 1 more)

Better and rather

For English had better, Dutch uses kunnen beter. For had rather, Dutch uses zou liever.

Ik kan beter meteen vertrekken, I had better depart at once. Ik denk dat jij beter thuis kunt blijven, I think you had better stay at home.

Ik zou liever alleen gaan, I had rather go by myself.

In each Dutch sentence, the second verb is an infinitive.

Verbs with all their forms

A defective verb is a verb that lacks some forms. In English these verbs have only a present and a past tense.

In Dutch they also have an infinitive and compound tenses.

Hij heeft het niet gekund, he has not been able to do it. Ik zal het moeten doen, I shall have to do it.

English needs other words here, such as been able to and have to.

329
I had better depart at once.
330
I think you had better stay at home.
331
I had rather go by myself.
332
He has not been able to do it.
333
I shall have to do it.

Lesson 32: Kunnen, willen, moeten, mogen for another English verb (and 1 more)

Four verbs, many English words

Each of these four Dutch verbs covers several English verbs. The meaning depends on the sentence.

Kunnen means to be able. Niet kunnen means to be unable. Ik kan het niet doen, I am unable to do it.

Willen means to want or to wish. Niet willen means to refuse. Hij wil het niet doen, he refuses to do it.

Moeten means ought to or to have to. Mogen means to be allowed. Je moet dat doen, you ought to do that. Mag ik gaan? Am I allowed to go?

Tenses that do not match

Dutch and English do not always pick the same tense. A Dutch future often becomes an English present.

Ik zal morgen niet kunnen komen, I cannot come tomorrow.

A Dutch perfect often becomes an English past. Waarom heeft hij het niet willen doen? Why would he not do it?

334
I am unable to do it.
335
He refuses to do it.
336
You ought to do that.
337
Am I allowed to go?
338
I cannot come tomorrow.
339
Why would he not do it?

Lesson 32: Kunnen

Kunnen: ability and possibility

Kunnen names a physical ability. Kan hij al weer wandelen? Can he walk again?

Kunnen also names a possibility the speaker grants. Kan ik naar huis gaan? May I go home? Dat kan wel waar zijn, that may be true.

Kunnen in other forms

Zou kunnen means could or might. Had kunnen with an infinitive means could have or might have.

Hij had het kunnen weten, he might have known it.

Ik kan niet nalaten means I cannot help or I cannot forbear. Ik kon niet nalaten te lachen, I could not forbear laughing.

340
Can he walk again?
341
May I go home?
342
That may be true.
343
He might have known it.
344
I could not forbear laughing.

Lesson 32: Mogen

Mogen: permission and possibility

Mogen means that another person allows the action. Je mag vandaag uitgaan, you are allowed to go out today.

It can also state a possibility. Het mag waar zijn, it may be true.

With niet, mag can mean must not. Je mag hier niet roken, you must not smoke here.

Mogen: wish and condition

Mogen can state a wish. Moge hij altijd gelukkig zijn! May he always be happy!

Mocht begins a condition. Mocht hij komen, roep me dan even, should he come, just call me then.

Had mogen with an infinitive means might have or would have been allowed to.

345
You are allowed to go out today.
346
It may be true.
347
May he always be happy!
348
Should he come, just call me then.
349
You must not smoke here.

Lesson 32: Moeten

Moeten: necessity and report

Moeten names a necessity, a duty or a certainty. Wij moeten ons aan de wetten onderwerpen, we must submit to the laws.

It can also name a report. Hij moet naar Londen gegaan zijn, he is said to have gone to London.

Moeten in the past

Moeten with had names a duty left undone. Ik had een brief moeten schrijven, I ought to have written a letter.

Moest names an obligation in the past. Ik moest het doen, I had to do it.

Je moest beter schrijven, you should write better.

350
We must submit to the laws.
351
He is said to have gone to London.
352
I ought to have written a letter.
353
You should write better.

Lesson 32: Willen

Willen: will and wish

Willen names a will or a determination. It also names a wish or a want. Wat wil jij? What do you want?

Hij wilde net vertrekken, he was just going to depart. Here willen means to be about to.

With an assertion, willen means to pretend. Willem wil het op straat gezien hebben, William pretends to have seen it in the street.

Willen in other forms

Zou willen means would. Had willen with an infinitive means would have. Ik had het hem willen opdragen, I would have charged him with it.

Before another infinitive, willen is usually left out of the English. Zou jij dit voor mij willen overschrijven? Would you kindly copy this for me?

Zou graag willen means I should like to. Ik zou het kindje graag willen zien, I should like to see the baby.

354
What do you want?
355
He was just going to depart.
356
William pretends to have seen it in the street.
357
Would you kindly copy this for me?
358
I should like to see the baby.

Lesson 32: Zullen plus another infinitive

Zullen with an infinitive

Zal means shall or will. Zou means should or would.

Dutch can put te zullen before another infinitive. English does not use shall this way.

Hij beloofde het te zullen zenden, he promised to send it. Ik hoop je spoedig te zullen zien, I hope to see you soon.

Zou means would

Je zei dat je morgen in de stad zou zijn, you said you would be in town tomorrow.

Zou je berispt worden als je ging? Would you be blamed if you went?

359
He promised to send it.
360
I hope to see you soon.
361
Would you be blamed if you went?
362
You said you would be in town tomorrow.

Lesson 32: Laten as an auxiliary

Laten before another verb

Laten is often an auxiliary. The verb after it has no te.

It forms an imperative. Laat ik het eens proberen! Let me try it! Laten we wat wandelen! Let us take a walk!

It means to permit. Ik laat hem gaan, I let him go.

It means to cause or to have something done. Hij liet het huis herstellen, he caused the house to be repaired.

More meanings of laten

Laten can mean to order. De rechter liet de dief aanhouden, the judge ordered the thief to be arrested.

It can mean to leave. Laat mij met rust, leave me alone. Hij liet zijn paraplu in de gang staan, he left his umbrella in the hall.

With zich it carries the idea of can be or may be. Dat laat zich gemakkelijk verklaren, this may easily be explained.

363
Let me try it!
364
Let us take a walk!
365
I let him go.
366
He caused the house to be repaired.
367
Where do you have your books bound?

368
Leave me alone.
369
This may easily be explained.
370
I shall have the advertisement inserted.

Van Amsterdam naar Batavia.

371
From Amsterdam to Batavia.
372
Dear friend!
373
Having only just landed yesterday, I hasten nevertheless to keep my given word and to send you an account of my journey.

374
Since I would still like to send it by the first outgoing mail boat, I shall not be able to be very detailed.
375
On Saturday, the 6th of October, I went on board the mail boat Hollandia at Amsterdam around ten o'clock in the morning.
376
It was a fine iron screw steamship of two thousand eight hundred tons, with an engine of five hundred nominal horsepower.

377
As one of the company's fastest-sailing boats, she had already made many successful voyages.
378
The captain, an experienced sailor, was a most sociable man.
379
After a few minutes of running to and fro, confused noise and movement, the cables that held us to the bank were cast off, and to the sound of the music the steamship turned her bow westward to sail up the IJ.

380
To the left lay the city, with its quays full of merchants' goods, its many jetties, its masses of houses.
381
A crowd of small steamboats and ships passed us, and the water presented a most lively spectacle.
382
But soon we entered the canal and the city disappeared from sight.
383
The passengers were fairly numerous on board.
384
Most of them stayed on deck to enjoy the picturesque view of the city.

Lesson 32: conversation

385
Well, were you at the fire last night too?
386
My goodness, how is that possible? Didn't you hear the bells ringing, then?
387
Fortunately the fire engines were soon on the scene.
388
At the fire, you ask? I haven't heard of any fire.
389
Once I am fast asleep, nothing like that wakes me up.
390
But where, then? Tell me that first.

391
Right opposite the big church, in X's furniture shop.
392
Relatively not. A great deal was saved thanks to the fire brigade's prompt action.
393
That must surely have been quite a fire?
394
Didn't the fire start in the shop, then? Weren't the pieces of furniture burnt?

Lesson 32: exercise 75

395
If you would have a thing done well, do it yourself.
396
If you should have done a thing well, never mind what the world says.
397
The youth said he should be of age next month, but his father told him he would not derive much benefit from that, and added that he should take precious good care that the property should remain in the family.
398
It is not truth, says Lessing, which makes man happy, but the aiming at truth.

399
If God held in His right hand every truth and in His left the one inner impulse to search the truth, though on condition that I should err for ever, and bade me choose, I would humbly incline to His left, saying: "Oh Father, give me this; pure truth is for thee only."
400
No man except one who felt a real love of truth, could have said that; nobody but a man of a truly struggling spirit of activity, could have pronounced such an idea.
401
Here's a fine situation! to be obliged to wait so long and not to be able to do anything!

402
Sigismund of Sweden lost a crown, which he might have saved, if he would have given up the catholic faith.
403
The king restored on the throne (Charles the Second of England), was better liked by the people than any of his predecessors had ever been.
404
The calamities of his house, the fatal death of his father, his own long sufferings and his romantic adventures, had made him the object of universal interest.
405
Numa Pompilius, the second king of Rome, is said to have been very peaceable.

Lesson 32: exercise 76

406
Do not suffer yourself to be deceived by appearances.
407
I have ordered the said number of the Graphic, but the picture was wanting.
408
After this exhortation he'll take precious good care not to do it.

409
You need not take the trouble of posting the letters yourself.
410
We must not suffer ourselves to be deluded into the belief that the past was better than the present.
411
We gave orders to be taken over to the other side, to see Amsterdam at a distance.
412
I shall have the advertisement inserted in the Daily News.
413
He had a house built for his son.

414
The old German Emperor was not the man to allow such an opportunity to slip by.
415
William the Conqueror was a very despotic ruler.
416
He bereft even the mightiest of his subjects of great treasures of gold and silver, and compelled all to defend themselves against his oppressions by building castles.

417
He ordered every one to have his eyes put out, who caught a deer or a boar, as if he were the father of the wild animals; and to make fresh woodland for huntingfields and game-preserves, he ordered the villages and churches to be pulled down and the inhabitants to be expelled.
418
In his absence he had himself represented by Normans; though their vehemence and rapacity were pretty well known to him.
419
There is no denying the fact, that the Danes have generally fought very courageously.
420
Henry the Eighth allowed the great German painter Holbein to paint his portrait.
421
Henry the Eighth had his portrait painted by the great German painter Holbein.

Lesson 32: exercise 77

422
In for a penny, in for a pound.
423
He who is afraid of leaves must not come into a wood.
424
Better to die a beggar than to go a stealing.
425
Often the deceiver is deceived.
426
Do not sell the bear's skin before you have caught the animal.

427
Set a thief to catch a thief.
428
The bow cannot always be bent.
429
Remove an old tree, and it shall wither to death.
430
Rich people can make a great show.
431
A man cannot serve two masters.
432
If you want the end, you must not stick at the means.
433
Say nothing but good of the dead.

434
Much would have more.
435
Goslings lead the geese to water.
436
A fool may ask more questions in an hour than a wise man can answer in seven years.
437
You must not look a gift horse in the mouth.
438
Never put off till to-morrow what you can do to-day.
439
Let sleeping dogs lie!
440
A staff is quickly found to beat a dog.

441
He who will not hear advice must suffer.
442
Strike the iron while it is hot.
443
If youth had experience and old age ability.
444
It early pricks, that will be thorn.
445
The left hand shall not know, what the right one does.
446
One must do the one and not leave the other undone.
447
That does not help to make the pot boil.

448
A friend's friend is well met.
449
All truths are not to be told.
450
Where there's a will, there's a way.
451
Nobody can feed on air.
452
One must do at Rome as Romans do.
453
Early sow, early mow.
454
Seek and you will find.

455
Foxes, when they cannot reach the grapes, say they are not ripe.
456
The most important is the most pressing.

Lesson 32: exercise 78

457
Rotterdam, April 12th, 1912.
458
Messrs. M. & S., Francfort o. M.
459
Gentlemen,

460
It is not without sorrow that we observe that there has been a long pause in our correspondence formerly so active; we cannot account for that fact, in as far as we are not aware of having given you any occasion to be dissatisfied.
461
We, therefore, beg leave to bring ourselves to your remembrance transmitting you our last price-current, the perusal of which, we hope, will engage you to give us an order; you may be sure that we shall take care of executing it most punctually.
462
It is in particular a very beautiful Java Coffee distinguishing itself by its fine blue colour to which we want to call your attention; we herewith send a small sample of that coffee, which, in consequence of an advantageous purchase, we can let you have at the exceptional price of M. 1.40.
463
Hoping this little incitation will be sufficient to revive our correspondence, and in expectation of your orders, we remain, Gentlemen, Yours faithfully R. & S.

Lesson 33: The infinitive as a substantive

The infinitive as a noun

A gerund is the English form of a verb ending in ing that works as a noun: dancing, swimming. Dutch uses the infinitive for this, with het before it.

Het dansen is een aangename beweging. Het zwemmen is een nuttige kunst.

Some ideas have two Dutch nouns. Het opgaan van de zon names the action of rising. Zonsopgang names the event itself. Both mean sunrise.

464
Dancing is an agreeable exercise.
465
Swimming is a useful art.
466
Sunrise.
467
The education of children.

The infinitive as a substantive

The infinitive is sometimes used as a noun, where English uses a gerund. Het dansen is een aangename beweging, dancing is an agreeable exercise. Het zwemmen is een nuttige kunst, swimming is a useful art. Compare het opgaan van de zon and zonsopgang, both sunrise; het ondergaan van de zon and zonsondergang, both sunset; het opvoeden van de kinderen and de opvoeding van de kinderen, both the education of children. Of such double forms the first names the action, the second the fact itself.

The infinitive used adjectively

The infinitive is used adjectively as a predicate with zijn. Dit boek is te lezen, this book is legible. Dit is gemakkelijk te verklaren, this is easy to explain. Het is niet te vinden, it is not to be found. Sometimes staan and vallen replace zijn in this sense: Dat zal te bezien staan, it remains to be seen. Het valt niet te ontkennen, it is not to be denied. Attributively it works as a gerund: de te lezen boeken, the books that are to be read; de te verwachten gasten, the guests that are to be expected; een gemakkelijk te vervullen wens, a wish which may easily be fulfilled. Only the infinitive of a transitive verb may be used this way.

The infinitive without te after gaan, komen, lopen, blijven

The infinitive without te is used with gaan, komen, lopen, blijven. Ga de krant halen, go and fetch the newspaper. Hij kwam mij bezoeken, he came to visit me. Dat loop ik gauw vertellen, I'll go quickly to tell this. Hij bleef mij aankijken, he kept looking at me. Blijven may also serve as an auxiliary: Ik blijf werken tot je komt, I'll stay at work till you come. Komen may also mean to get into another state: Hij kwam te sterven, he died. Hij kwam alles te weten, he found it all out. Komen is sometimes followed by an infinitive instead of a past participle: Zij kwamen naar ons toe lopen, they came running to us. Er kwam een vogel aanvliegen, a bird came flying towards us.

Kunnen, moeten, mogen, willen, zullen, durven, laten without te

The verbs kunnen, moeten, mogen, willen, zullen, durven and laten are always followed by an infinitive without te. Je mag hier niet spreken, you must not talk here. Hij durft dat niet te doen, he dare not do that.

Infinitive without te instead of the present participle

An infinitive without te is used instead of the present participle with blijven, doen, gaan, hebben, horen, houden, laten, vinden, voelen, zien. Zij bleven staan, zitten, praten, they stopped, they kept their seat, they kept talking. Hij heeft mij niets doen weten, he has not sent me word. Wij gaan wandelen, jagen, rijden, we go out walking, hunting, riding. Ik heb hier wat geld liggen, I have some money lying here. Hoor je hem nog niet komen? do you not hear him come yet? Iemand staande houden, to stop one. Iemand iets laten zien, to show one something. Wij vonden dit op straat liggen, we found this lying in the street. Iedereen voelde de storm aankomen, every one felt the storm approaching. De rechter zag hem blozen en verbleken, the judge saw him blush and turn pale.

Infinitive without te instead of the past participle

An infinitive without te is used instead of the past participle in the compound tenses of kunnen, moeten, mogen, laten, durven, willen; blijven, doen, leren, helpen, wezen, gaan, komen, lopen, staan, zitten, liggen, vinden, zien, horen, voelen. De onderwijzer heeft ons leren werken, the teacher taught us how to work. Ik heb mijn knecht doen roepen, I ordered my man-servant to be called. Je hebt lang zitten praten, you have been talking a long time. Ik heb dit horen voorlezen, I have heard this read. De dokter heeft zijn pols nog voelen slaan, the physician still felt his pulse beat.

Infinitive with te after certain transitive and reflexive verbs

The infinitive with te is used after some transitive verbs: aansporen to encourage, beletten to hinder, bewegen to persuade, dwingen to force, hebben to have, noodzaken to compel, overhalen to persuade, verhinderen to prevent, veroordelen to condemn. Wij beletten de jongens binnen te komen, we prevented the boys from entering. Hij heeft je iets te zeggen, he has something to tell you. It is used after some reflexive verbs: zich bedroeven to be sorry, zich beklagen to complain, zich beroemen to boast, zich gewennen to accustom oneself, zich haasten to hasten, zich schamen to be ashamed, zich verbazen to be surprised, zich verheugen to rejoice, zich verwonderen to wonder, zich vleien to flatter oneself, zich wachten to be upon one's guard. Ik haast me je dit mee te delen, I hasten to communicate this to you.

Infinitive with te after intransitive verbs

The infinitive with te is also used after some intransitive verbs: aarzelen, dralen, to hesitate; ophouden, to cease; schromen, to dread; voortgaan, to continue; leren, to learn by experience. It is sometimes used after komen too.

Infinitive with te for a simultaneous action

The infinitive with te is used with liggen, lopen, staan, zitten to denote a simultaneous action. Het kind ligt te slapen, the child lies sleeping. Hij loopt te zingen, he walks and sings. Wat sta je daar te kijken? what are you staring at? Wij zaten gezellig te spelen, we had a nice game together. In the compound tenses the infinitive is used instead of the past participle.

Infinitive with te connected by a linking word

The infinitive with te may be linked to another verb by door, met, na, om, van, zonder, alvorens, in plaats van, ten einde. Hij waarschuwde ons door hard te schreeuwen, he warned us by crying very loud. De koopman begon met zich te verontschuldigen, the merchant began with excusing himself. Na ons gegroet te hebben, ging hij weg, after saluting us, he went away. Klop aan alvorens binnen te komen, knock at the door before you enter. English always uses a gerund after a preposition; Dutch translates that gerund with an infinitive plus te, and the preposition, having become an adverb, is preceded by er. Hij denkt eraan te gaan reizen, he thinks of making a journey. De soldaten zagen er geen kwaad in alles te vernielen, the soldiers did not scruple at destroying everything.

Infinitive with te after certain adjectives

After bedacht (mindful), bewust (aware), bezig (busy), getroost (consoled), gewoon (accustomed), verbaasd (astonished), versteld (amazed), waard (worth), waardig (worthy) and zeker (sure), the infinitive is generally used with te. Ik ben verbaasd je hier te zien, I am astonished at seeing you here. Mijn broer was bezig brieven te schrijven, my brother was busy writing letters. In a few cases met te or om te follows these adjectives instead: Wij waren bezig met alles in te pakken, we were occupied with packing up everything. Vader is gewoon om alles alleen te doen, my father is accustomed to do everything alone. After an adjective preceded by zo, the infinitive with te is used: Wees zo goed me de boeken te sturen, be so kind as to send me the books.

Infinitive with te instead of the past participle, after certain verbs

After begeren (to desire), behoeven (to need), behoren (ought to), beproeven (to try), denken (to think), gelieven (to please), menen (to think), pogen (to endeavour), trachten (to try), verkiezen (to choose), verlangen (to desire), vermogen (to be able), wagen (to venture), wensen (to wish), weten (to know), zien (to see) and zoeken (to seek, to try), the infinitive with te is used both in the simple tenses and, instead of the past participle, in the compound tenses. Je behoort beter te schrijven, you should write better. Men behoefde het me niet tweemaal te zeggen, I needed no second bidding. De soldaten wagen niet de vesting te bestormen, the soldiers do not venture to assault the fortress. Tracht hem gunstig te stemmen, try to get him well disposed. With pogen and trachten the past participle may be used in the compound tenses as well as the infinitive: wij hebben gepoogd, getracht alles in het werk te stellen, we have tried to do everything.

The infinitive with om te for a purpose

An infinitive with om te (in order to) generally denotes an end or a purpose. Ik kom om je af te halen, I come to fetch you. Dit dient om je alles duidelijk te maken, this serves to explain everything to you.

Om te after adjectives and after te ... or genoeg

The infinitive with om te is also used after some adjectives, and after an adjective or adverb preceded by te or followed by genoeg. Het is te laat om uit te gaan, it is too late to go out. Hij is te jong om alleen op reis te gaan, he is too young to travel by himself. Het is warm genoeg om te gaan wandelen, it is warm enough to go for a walk. Zij is oud genoeg om te weten wat zij doet, she is old enough to know what she is about.

The English infinitive replacing a dependent clause

English can use an infinitive where Dutch generally needs a full dependent clause. He was the first to tell me this, hij was de eerste die het mij vertelde.

The English infinitive replacing a conditional clause

English can use an infinitive with to in place of a conditional clause. To hear you, one would think him a learned man, als men u hoort, zou men denken dat hij een geleerd man is. I shudder but to think of it, ik ril al als ik er slechts aan denk.

The English infinitive after so ... as, such ... as

After so ... as or such ... as, English can use an infinitive in place of a that-clause. There is scarcely any evil so great as not to be rendered tolerable by patience, er is nauwelijks enig ongeluk dat niet draaglijk gemaakt wordt door geduld. His interest in popular instruction was such as to render competition with him almost impossible, zijn belangstelling voor het volksonderwijs was zo groot dat het bijna onmogelijk was met hem te wedijveren.

The infinitive with an accusative becomes a dat-clause

An English infinitive with an accusative after to desire, to know, to mean, to wish and the like must become a subordinate clause with dat in Dutch. I know him to be in Amsterdam is translated as I know that he is in Amsterdam. I wish him to do the work alone, ik wens dat hij zijn werk alleen doet. I knew the master to be a good pedagogue, ik wist dat de onderwijzer een goed opvoedkundige was. They will deny it to be natural, zij zullen ontkennen dat het natuurlijk is.

Dat is never omitted after believe, hope, know, think and the like

After to believe, to fancy, to hope, to know, to think, to wish and the like, English may drop the conjunction before the clause that follows; Dutch always keeps dat. I know he will do it for me, ik weet dat hij het voor mij zal doen. I think his brother ought to go, mij dunkt dat zijn broer moest gaan. We believed all was lost, wij geloofden dat alles verloren was.

How, what, where plus infinitive need a subject and an auxiliary

An English infinitive after how, what or where must be completed in Dutch with a subject and an auxiliary. The poor boy does not know where to sleep, de arme jongen weet niet waar hij slapen moet. He does not know how to fire the gun, hij weet niet hoe hij het geweer moet afschieten. Teach him how to do it, leer hem hoe hij het moet doen.

Past participle as a substantive

The past participle of some verbs is used as a noun. De afgevaardigde, the deputy. De bekende, the acquaintance. De beminde, the lover. De beschonkene, the drunk. De eerstgeborene, the first-born. De gedaagde, the defendant. De oudgediende, the veteran. Het gegeven, plural de gegevens, the datum, the data. De gelastigde, the mandatory. De geleerde, the scholar. De geliefde, the beloved. De gevangene, the prisoner. De gezworene, the juror. De samenzweerders, the conspirators. De uitgewekene, the emigrant. De uitverkorene, the chosen one. De vertrouwde, the confidant.

Present participle rarely a substantive

A present participle is very rarely used as a noun, for example de razende, the madman.

Participles used as adjectives

Participles are also used as adjectives once the idea of a lasting quality has replaced that of time or action. Used predicatively, they end in -end when they stand for an adjective, and in -ende when they stand for a present tense. Dit boek is vervelend, this book is tedious. Hij is bekrompen in zijn oordeel, he is narrow-minded. Deze tekening is uitstekend, this drawing is excellent. Zijn broer is erg bijziend, his brother is very near-sighted. Zij zijn herstellende, they are recovering. Het water is wassende, vallende, the water is rising, falling. Used attributively, they take an adjective's endings: een betoverend gezicht, a charming view; lopend water, running water; stilstaand water, stagnant water; een beslissende slag, a decisive battle. Such participles may also take the prefix on-: onbekrompen, liberal; ongedwongen, unconstrained; onoplettend, inattentive; some exist only as adjectives: ondeugend, mischievous, naughty; onwetend, ignorant; onbeduidend or onbetekenend, insignificant; onbehouwen, unmannerly. Compound participles are rare, especially in prose or conversation: blindgeboren, blindborn; hemeltergend, most revolting; jongstleden, last, past.

Present participle with a passive meaning

The present participle is sometimes used, strictly speaking incorrectly, as an adjective with a passive meaning. Brekende waren, fragile wares, in place of breekbare. Roerende goederen, movables. Onroerende goederen, immovables. IJlende koorts, brain fever. De vallende ziekte, epilepsy. Een zittend leven, a sedentary life. Een stilzwijgende voorwaarde, an implied, tacit condition.

Past participle with an active meaning

In the same way the past participle is sometimes used, strictly speaking incorrectly, with an active meaning. Een godvergeten schurk, a wicked scoundrel. Een gestudeerd man, a learned man. Een bevaren matroos, an experienced sailor. Een bereden gendarme, a mounted policeman. Een (on)beleefd mens, a polite (an impolite) person. Een dronken soldaat, a drunken soldier.

Participle instead of an infinitive, in old proverbs only

Very rarely a participle is used instead of an infinitive, properly speaking only in old proverbs or proverbial sayings. Het is boter aan de galg gesmeerd, it is labour lost. Het is aan een dove mans deur geklopt, it is preaching to the deaf. Het is de moriaan geschuurd, it is washing a blackamoor white. Such participles may serve as the subject of a sentence: beter hard geblazen dan de mond verbrand, great talkers are always the least doers; beter ten halve gekeerd dan ten hele gedwaald, the shortest errors are the best.

Participles before a noun are not declined

A participle immediately before a noun is treated as an ordinary adjective, taking -e before a de-word and no ending before a het-word with an indefinite article, exactly like any other adjective; used predicatively it takes no ending at all. Zijn broer was een boven allen uitstekende man, his brother was a superior man. Wij zagen een boven allen uitstekende man. Uw pas gebouwde huis. Uw huis is pas gebouwd.

The present participle in adverbial and participial constructions

In an adverbial clause or a participial construction the present participle may stand unchanged, without the -e ending; the past participle is always uninflected. Huilend en schreeuwend ging hij naar huis, weeping and crying he went home. Dit gezegd hebbend, verwijderde hij zich, having said this he withdrew. Ontwaakt deelde hij zijn makkers alles mee, when awaked he communicated all to his comrades.

The elliptical past participle is uninflected

An elliptical past participle takes no ending. Dit vooropgesteld, presupposing this. Van een andere kant beschouwd, considered from another point of view. Alles bij elkaar genomen, taking all together. Eigenlijk gezegd, properly speaking. Toegestaan dat dit waar is, granting this to be true. In het algemeen genomen, generally speaking. Globaal berekend, calculating roughly.

Lesson 33: The infinitive used adjectively

A verb that is to be done

After zijn, an infinitive with te says what can be done or must be done to the subject.

Dit boek is te lezen: this book is legible. Het is niet te vinden: it is not to be found.

Staan and vallen can take the place of zijn. Het valt niet te ontkennen: it is not to be denied.

The same infinitive can stand before a noun: de te verwachten gasten, the guests that are to be expected. Only a transitive verb is used this way.

468
This book is legible.
469
It is not to be found.
470
It is not to be denied.
471
The guests that are to be expected.

Lesson 33: The infinitive without te after gaan, komen, lopen, blijven (and 1 more)

Four verbs of motion and staying

Gaan, komen, lopen and blijven take a second verb as a bare infinitive. There is no te before it.

Ga de krant halen. Hij kwam mij bezoeken. Hij bleef mij aankijken.

Komen has a second use. With te it can mean getting into a new state. Hij kwam alles te weten means he found it all out.

Seven verbs that never take te

Kunnen, moeten, mogen, willen, zullen, durven and laten are always followed by an infinitive without te.

Je mag hier niet spreken. The verb mag is followed straight by spreken.

Hij durft dat niet doen: he dare not do that.

472
Go and fetch the newspaper.
473
He came to visit me.
474
He kept looking at me.
475
He found it all out.
476
A bird came flying towards us.

477
You must not talk here.
478
He dare not do that.

Lesson 33: Infinitive without te instead of the present participle

A bare infinitive where English says ing

A present participle is the form of a verb that in English ends in ing: walking, lying. After some verbs Dutch uses the bare infinitive instead.

Wij gaan wandelen. Ik heb hier wat geld liggen. The Dutch words mean we go walking and I have some money lying here.

The verbs that work this way are blijven, doen, gaan, hebben, horen, houden, laten, vinden, voelen and zien.

479
They stopped, they kept their seat, they kept talking.
480
We go out walking, hunting, riding.
481
I have some money lying here.
482
We found this lying in the street.
483
The judge saw him blush and turn pale.

Lesson 33: Infinitive without te instead of the past participle

A bare infinitive in a compound tense

A compound tense normally ends in a past participle. After some verbs Dutch puts an infinitive without te there instead.

De onderwijzer heeft ons leren werken. Je hebt lang zitten praten. Heeft is the auxiliary. Leren and zitten stand where a past participle would be.

This holds for kunnen, moeten, mogen, laten, durven and willen. It also holds for verbs such as leren, helpen, zien and horen.

484
The teacher taught us how to work.
485
I ordered my man-servant to be called.
486
You have been talking a long time.
487
I have heard this read.

Lesson 33: Infinitive with te after certain transitive and reflexive verbs (and 1 more)

Te after verbs that act on someone

Some transitive verbs are followed by an infinitive with te. Examples are beletten, dwingen and overhalen.

Wij beletten de jongens binnen te komen: we prevented the boys from entering. Hij heeft je iets te zeggen: he has something to tell you.

Some reflexive verbs also take te. Examples are zich haasten and zich schamen. Ik haast me je dit mee te delen: I hasten to communicate this to you.

Te after verbs with no object

Some intransitive verbs are followed by an infinitive with te.

Hij aarzelde niet te antwoorden. Zij hield op te spreken. Aarzelen means to hesitate. Ophouden means to cease.

The other verbs that work this way are dralen, schromen, voortgaan and leren. Komen sometimes takes te too.

488
We prevented the boys from entering.
489
He has something to tell you.
490
I hasten to communicate this to you.
491
He is upon his guard to say it.
492
He did not hesitate to answer.
493
She ceased to speak.

Lesson 33: Infinitive with te for a simultaneous action

Te for two actions at once

Liggen, lopen, staan and zitten followed by te and an infinitive show two actions at the same time.

Het kind ligt te slapen: the child lies sleeping. Hij loopt te zingen: he walks and sings. Wij zaten gezellig te spelen.

In a compound tense the infinitive takes the place of the past participle.

494
The child lies sleeping.
495
He walks and sings.
496
What are you staring at?
497
We had a nice game together.

Lesson 33: Infinitive with te connected by a linking word (and 1 more)

Te after a linking word

Where English puts a preposition before a verb in ing, Dutch puts a linking word before te and the infinitive.

The linking words include door, met, na, om, zonder, alvorens and in plaats van.

Hij waarschuwde ons door hard te schreeuwen: he warned us by crying very loud. Klop aan alvorens binnen te komen.

After some verbs the preposition joins er and stands before te: Hij denkt eraan te gaan reizen, he thinks of making a journey.

Te after some adjectives

Some adjectives are generally followed by an infinitive with te. Examples are bezig, gewoon, verbaasd and waard.

Ik ben verbaasd je hier te zien. Mijn broer was bezig brieven te schrijven.

In a few cases met te or om te follows instead. An adjective with zo before it also calls for te: Wees zo goed me de boeken te sturen.

498
He warned us by crying very loud.
499
After saluting us, he went away.
500
Knock at the door before you enter.
501
He thinks of making a journey.
502
I am astonished at seeing you here.

503
My brother was busy writing letters.
504
Be so kind as to send me the books.

Lesson 33: Infinitive with te instead of the past participle, after certain verbs (and 1 more)

Te in place of a past participle

Some verbs are followed by an infinitive with te. Examples are behoren, denken, menen, wagen, wensen, weten and zoeken.

Je behoort beter te schrijven. De soldaten wagen niet de vesting te bestormen.

In a compound tense of these verbs, the infinitive with te also stands where a past participle would be.

Pogen and trachten can also take the past participle: wij hebben gepoogd, getracht alles in het werk te stellen.

Om te for a purpose

Om te before an infinitive generally gives the purpose of an action.

Ik kom om je af te halen: I come to fetch you. Dit dient om je alles duidelijk te maken: this serves to explain everything to you.

English says in order to, or to alone.

505
You should write better.
506
I needed no second bidding.
507
The soldiers do not venture to assault the fortress.
508
Try to get him well disposed.
509
I come to fetch you.
510
This serves to explain everything to you.

Lesson 33: Om te after adjectives and after te ... or genoeg (and 2 more)

Om te with too and enough

Om te also follows an adjective or adverb that has te before it or genoeg after it.

Het is te laat om uit te gaan: it is too late to go out. Het is warm genoeg om te gaan wandelen: it is warm enough to go for a walk.

Te before an adjective means too. Genoeg means enough.

A clause where English has an infinitive

English says he was the first to tell me this. Dutch generally needs a full dependent clause here.

Hij was de eerste die het mij vertelde. The clause die het mij vertelde has its own subject and verb.

A clause where English has a condition

English can use to with a verb for a condition. To hear you means if one hears you.

Dutch writes the condition out with als. Als men u hoort, zou men denken dat hij een geleerd man is.

The same holds for the English phrase but to think of it. Ik ril al als ik er slechts aan denk.

511
It is too late to go out.
512
He is too young to travel by himself.
513
It is warm enough to go for a walk.
514
He was the first to tell me this.
515
To hear you, one would think him a learned man.
516
I shudder but to think of it.

Lesson 33: The English infinitive after so ... as, such ... as (and 1 more)

A clause after so and such

After so ... as or such ... as, English can use an infinitive. Dutch uses dat and a full clause.

Er is nauwelijks enig ongeluk dat niet draaglijk gemaakt wordt door geduld. In English: there is scarcely any evil so great as not to be rendered tolerable by patience.

Zijn belangstelling was zo groot dat niemand ermee kon wedijveren.

Dat and a clause after verbs of knowing

English says I know him to be in Amsterdam. Dutch cannot copy this. It says I know that he is in Amsterdam.

After verbs of desiring, knowing, meaning and wishing, Dutch uses dat and a full clause. Ik wens dat hij zijn werk alleen doet.

The English object him becomes hij, the subject of the dat clause.

517
There is scarcely any evil so great as not to be rendered tolerable by patience.
518
His interest was such that no one could compete with it.
519
I wish him to do the work alone.
520
I knew the master to be a good pedagogue.
521
They will deny it to be natural.

Lesson 33: Dat is never omitted after believe, hope, know, think and the like (and 1 more)

Dat is never left out

English may drop the word that: I know he will do it. Dutch always keeps dat after verbs such as believe, hope, know and think.

Ik weet dat hij het voor mij zal doen. Wij geloofden dat alles verloren was.

Where the English has no that, Dutch still has dat. Mij dunkt dat zijn broer moest gaan.

How, what and where with a verb

English says he does not know where to sleep. The infinitive has no subject.

Dutch adds a subject and an auxiliary such as moeten. De arme jongen weet niet waar hij slapen moet.

Hoe works the same way. Leer hem hoe hij het moet doen: teach him how to do it.

522
I know he will do it for me.
523
I think his brother ought to go.
524
We believed all was lost.
525
The poor boy does not know where to sleep.
526
He does not know how to fire the gun.
527
Teach him how to do it.

Lesson 33: Past participle as a substantive (and 1 more)

A participle used as a noun

The past participle of some verbs is used as a noun for a person. De gevangene is the prisoner. De geleerde is the scholar.

Such a word takes de, like any noun for a person. De afgevaardigde is the deputy.

Het gegeven names a thing, the datum. Its plural is de gegevens.

One rare participle noun

A present participle is very rarely used as a noun.

De razende means the madman.

528
The deputy.
529
The prisoner.
530
The scholar.
531
The datum, the data.
532
The madman.

Lesson 33: Participles used as adjectives

Participles that describe

A participle works as an adjective when it names a lasting quality instead of an action.

After zijn, it ends in end when it stands for an adjective: Dit boek is vervelend. It ends in ende when it stands for a present tense: Zij zijn herstellende.

Before a noun it takes the endings of any adjective: lopend water, een beslissende slag.

Participles with on

Such participles can take the prefix on: onbekrompen, ongedwongen, onoplettend.

Some words with on exist only as adjectives, such as onwetend, ignorant.

533
This book is tedious.
534
This drawing is excellent.
535
Running water.
536
A decisive battle.

Lesson 33: Present participle with a passive meaning

A present participle with a passive meaning

A present participle is sometimes used as an adjective with a passive meaning. Strictly, this use is incorrect.

Roerende goederen are goods that can be moved. Onroerende goederen cannot be moved. De vallende ziekte is epilepsy.

537
Movables.
538
Immovables.
539
Epilepsy.
540
An implied, tacit condition.

Lesson 33: Past participle with an active meaning (and 1 more)

A past participle with an active meaning

A past participle is sometimes used with an active meaning. It then describes the person who did something. Strictly, this use is incorrect.

Een gestudeerd man is a learned man. Een bevaren matroos is an experienced sailor. Een dronken soldaat is a drunken soldier.

Een beleefd mens is a polite person.

A participle where an infinitive belongs

Very rarely, a past participle stands where an infinitive would be expected. This happens only in old proverbs.

Het is boter aan de galg gesmeerd means it is labour lost. Het is aan een dove mans deur geklopt means it is preaching to the deaf.

Such a participle can be the subject of a sentence: beter ten halve gekeerd dan ten hele gedwaald.

541
A learned man.
542
An experienced sailor.
543
A polite person.
544
A drunken soldier.
545
It is labour lost.

546
It is preaching to the deaf.
547
The shortest errors are the best.

Lesson 33: Participles before a noun are not declined (and 1 more)

A participle before a noun takes adjective endings

A participle right before a noun is an ordinary adjective. It takes e before a de-word. Before a het-word with een, it takes no ending.

Used predicatively, after zijn, it takes no ending at all.

Uw pas gebouwde huis: your newly built house. Uw huis is pas gebouwd: your house is newly built.

A participle without an ending

In a phrase that says how or when, a present participle can stand without the e. A past participle there never takes an ending.

Huilend en schreeuwend ging hij naar huis: weeping and crying he went home. Dit gezegd hebbend, verwijderde hij zich: having said this he withdrew.

Ontwaakt deelde hij zijn makkers alles mee: when awaked he communicated all to his comrades.

548
His brother was a superior man.
549
Your newly built house.
550
Your house is newly built.
551
Weeping and crying he went home.
552
Having said this he withdrew.
553
When awaked he communicated all to his comrades.

Lesson 33: The elliptical past participle is uninflected

A short participle phrase

A short phrase can be made of a past participle alone, with no other verb. Such a participle takes no ending.

Dit vooropgesteld. Alles bij elkaar genomen. Eigenlijk gezegd. In het algemeen genomen.

These phrases mean presupposing this, taking all together, properly speaking and generally speaking.

554
Presupposing this.
555
Taking all together.
556
Properly speaking.
557
Generally speaking.

Van Amsterdam naar Batavia. (Vervolg.)

558
From Amsterdam to Batavia. (Continued.)
559
After having passed through the locks at IJmuiden, we headed for the open sea in the afternoon, and soon the boat flew at full speed across the North Sea, so that it was not long before we lost sight of our native coast.
560
Like most of the passengers, I now betook myself to my cabin.

561
The next day we anchored in the roadstead of Southampton, from where we departed again on the 10th after having taken the Indian mail on board.
562
As this part of my journey offered little of particular interest, I shall only tell you that we sailed round Cape St. Vincent on the 11th and arrived at Marseille on the 18th.
563
We stayed there just long enough to take on board some passengers who had made this part of their crossing overland in order to join us in that city.

564
On the 24th of October we were at last off Port Said, at the entrance to the great Suez Canal.
565
This grand work of Ferdinand de Lesseps is, whatever its shortcomings may be, of incalculable importance to the European trading nations, for the 160-kilometre-long canal shortens the former route from Europe to the Indies around the Cape of Good Hope by half.
566
The whole length of the canal and its passing places, the roadstead and the entrance channel, are kept well navigable and at the proper depth by dredging carried out at fixed times, and at present work is being carried out energetically on its improvement.
567
It appears, nevertheless, that the canal no longer meets the needs of shipping and world trade, which are steadily expanding.
568
Serious thought is therefore being given to digging a second sea route from one sea to the other.

Lesson 33: conversation

569
Where did the passengers head for the open sea?
570
Where did they anchor the next day?
571
What places did they pass on the way to Marseille?
572
When did they arrive at Port Said?
573
They headed for the open sea after passing through the locks at IJmuiden.
574
They anchored in the roadstead of Southampton.
575
They sailed round Cape St. Vincent and arrived in Marseille.
576
They arrived at Port Said on the 24th of October.

577
Why is the Suez Canal of great importance to the European trading nations?
578
Why does the canal no longer meet the needs of shipping?
579
The canal shortens the route from Europe to the Indies around the Cape of Good Hope by half.
580
Because shipping and world trade are steadily expanding.

Lesson 33: exercise 79

581
Nothing is so bad as not to be good for anything.
582
Richard Cromwell, whom all Europe believed to be firmly established on the chair of state, disappeared at once from the scene.
583
The circumstances were not so desperate as to justify this violent remedy.

584
It is not to be expected, it is true, that anybody knows something without having learned it, but on the other hand one must have a sort of natural turn for every branch of study, if one wants to make some progress worth mentioning.
585
Worthless flatterers, whom Charles the Second knew to be destitute of any affection for him, and to be undeserving of his confidence, could easily wheedle him out of titles, posts, estates, secrets of state and remissions of guilt.
586
He must needs have a long spoon, who would eat with the devil.

587
I believe he would have done better by giving up the affair.
588
His resolution was too firm to be shaken by a slight opposition.
589
After many experiments the marquess of Worcester succeeded in constructing a rude steam-engine, which he called a fire waterwork and which he pronounced to be an admirable and most forcible instrument of propulsion.

590
But the marquess was taken for a lunatic, and therefore his invention did not meet with a favourable reception.
591
The crusades opened a more extensive intercourse between the East and the West, by their leading great masses of men from every corner of Europe into Asia.
592
It was not the desire of the Romans of enlarging their trade, but the necessity of opposing their most formidable rivals, the Carthaginians, which first prompted them to aim at maritime power.

Lesson 33: exercise 80

593
Several months passed, without our having even an opportunity of seeing him in the street.
594
Though that quality of the magnet by which it draws iron, was known to the ancients, its more interesting and surprising virtue of directing to the poles had entirely escaped their observation.
595
Joseph the Second of Austria was earnestly intent on exterminating root and branch a number of abuses, but he was not understood by his subjects.

596
The enemy was prevented from occupying the heights.
597
Julius Caesar made war on Gaul, and he succeeded in conquering the whole country.
598
The defence of his empire having been provided for, king Alfred devoted himself to govern it wisely.

599
This point being thoroughly discussed some time ago, there is no occasion for making it once more a subject for debate.
600
William of Normandy declared, that he came to demand the crown as his right, on account of its being bequeathed to him by Edward the Confessor.
601
Properly speaking, we had not expected this opposition from that side.

602
I remember having often heard this song in my youth, but remember the first two lines only.
603
Defending a bad cause is as disgraceful as the cause itself.
604
Sir Humphrey, after having begun his life as a chemist's apprentice, was at an age of forty-two President of the Royal Society and the greatest of English chemists.

605
Whatever I said, the artist kept on painting without condescending to favour me with a single look.
606
On hearing the book praised by every one, I could not forbear ordering it from my bookseller.
607
The manner of living of the old Germans was very plain, their food consisting in roasted corn, wild fruit, berries and roots, and the meat of tame or wild animals.

Lesson 33: exercise 81

608
John has come down to the pond to sail his new boat.
609
He calls it the "Blue Bell", because it is painted blue, and has a little blue flag.
610
Look! the wind is filling its sails.

611
It will soon cross to the other side of the pond.
612
Then John will run round and start it again, so that it will keep sailing from side to side.
613
This is nice fun for a boy when he is careful not to slip into the water and get wet.
614
Once John came to grief in this pond.

615
Let me tell you how it was, that you may learn a lesson from his mistake.
616
One holiday afternoon his cousin Fred came to pay him a visit.
617
They went to play near this pond.
618
John saw a pretty white lily so close to the edge of the pond that he felt sure he could get it.

619
"You must not try", said his cousin Fred. "The pond is very deep, and you may fall into it."
620
But John would have his own way.
621
Taking hold of a branch, he stretched out his hand to get the flower.
622
The branch broke, and John got a ducking.
623
But it did him good, for it taught him to be more careful.

Lesson 33: exercise 82

624
Henry VIII., having quarrelled with Francis I., King of France, resolved to send an ambassador to him with a very haughty and threatening message.
625
For that purpose he made choice of Bishop Bonner, in whom he placed great confidence.
626
The Bishop told him that his life would be in great danger, if he used such language to so high-spirited a King as Francis I.
627
"Never fear!" said Henry; "for if the King of France were to put you to death, I would take off the heads of all the Frenchmen who are here in my power."
628
"I believe so", answered the Bishop: "but of all those heads none would fit me so well as my own!"

Lesson 33: exercise 83

629
G., 16th January, 1912.
630
Mr. Th. Olifant, Eindhoven.
631
Sir,

632
The kind reception I met with at your hands when stopping in your town as a traveller of the firm of Fallstaf & Co., a reception I still remember with pleasure, encourages me to hope you will not take amiss my hereby soliciting your custom and support, with reference to my circular of the 1st January.
633
As you will have learnt from my circular-letter, I have now established myself keeping on the branch in which I then waited on you as a representative of the aforesaid firm.
634
Though still a beginner, I am well assorted, and the annexed price-current will convince you that my quotations are low and my terms very fair.
635
In coffees I have made very advantageous purchases at an auction held at Rotterdam the other day, and I am ready and willing to forward you samples of the coffees, in order that you may convince yourselves of their being pure and worth their price.
636
Hoping you will favour me very soon with your orders, I remain, with unalterable esteem. Yours truly Konrad Koster.