Dutch A2.4 Listening Practice: Keep Separable Infinitives Together
Dutch A2 listening practice with audio, transcript, key phrases, and a speaking challenge for keep separable infinitives together.
Podcast listening is in beta while creation and discussion tools are refined. This published chapter includes its complete segmented audio and transcript.
Level
A2.4
Audio
Segmented audio
Transcript
23 segments
What to notice while you listen
What you'll understand
Use two common separable activities after a modal when discussing plans or requests.
Close modal clauses with intact opstaan or meebrengen, without separating op from staan or mee from brengen.
New pattern
After a modal, the declared separable verbs opstaan and meebrengen remain intact as infinitives at the right edge.
Practice aloud after listening
Ik wil vroeg opstaan. Kun je dit goede boek meebrengen?
I want to get up early. Can you bring this good book along?
A short Dutch listening chapter with transcript.
Say that you want to get up early and ask someone to bring this good book along.
Read while you listen.
1. Marieke · Teacher
Welcome to today's lesson! I am Marieke, your host. Today, we are focusing on Dutch separable verbs like opstaan and meebrengen when they appear with a modal verb.
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2. Daan · Student
Hi Marieke, I am Daan. I always wonder: when do we split separable verbs, and when do we keep them together?
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3. Marieke · Teacher
It is simple: when a modal verb like willen, moeten, kunnen, or mogen is conjugated, the separable infinitive goes to the end and stays whole. Let's listen to Bram and Lotte.
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4. Bram · Native Speaker 1
Morgen is het heel druk, dus ik wil vroeg opstaan.
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5. Lotte · Native Speaker 2
Ik moet om zeven uur opstaan voor mijn werk.
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6. Bram · Native Speaker 1
Kun je dit goede boek meebrengen?
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7. Lotte · Native Speaker 2
Ja, en mag ik twee boeken meebrengen?
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8. Bram · Native Speaker 1
Dat is heel fijn, dank je wel!
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9. Marieke · Teacher
Let's break down these sentences. First, Bram said: 'Morgen is het heel druk, dus ik wil vroeg opstaan.' This means: 'Tomorrow is very busy, so I want to get up early.' 'Wil' is the conjugated modal verb, so 'opstaan' stays intact at the end.
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10. Daan · Student
So as long as a modal verb is present, the prefix 'op' does not split off from 'staan'?
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11. Marieke · Teacher
Exactly! The modal verb takes the finite position, leaving 'opstaan' as a complete infinitive at the right edge.
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12. Marieke · Teacher
Next, Lotte said: 'Ik moet om zeven uur opstaan voor mijn werk.' That means: 'I have to get up at seven o'clock for my work.' Here 'moet' is the conjugated modal verb.
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13. Daan · Student
Does the time expression 'om zeven uur' always go before the infinitive verb at the end?
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14. Marieke · Teacher
Yes, time details like 'om zeven uur' or 'vroeg' typically sit right before the full infinitive verb at the end of the clause.
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15. Marieke · Teacher
Then Bram asked: 'Kun je dit goede boek meebrengen?' Meaning: 'Can you bring this good book?' 'Kun' is the modal verb, so 'meebrengen' remains undivided at the end.
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16. Daan · Student
Does 'meebrengen' work the exact same way as 'opstaan' in modal sentences?
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17. Marieke · Teacher
Precisely. Because 'kun' is finite, 'mee' and 'brengen' stay joined together as an infinitive.
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18. Marieke · Teacher
Finally, Lotte asked: 'Mag ik twee boeken meebrengen?' This means: 'May I bring two books?' 'Mag' comes from 'mogen'.
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19. Daan · Student
Does 'mogen' follow the exact same rule as 'willen', 'moeten', and 'kunnen'?
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20. Marieke · Teacher
Yes! All modal verbs keep the separable infinitive whole at the end of the clause.
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21. Marieke · Teacher
Now, Daan, try the challenge phrase: 'I want to get up early. Can you bring this good book?'
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22. Daan · Student
Ik wil vroeg opstaan. Kun je dit goede boek meebrengen?
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23. Marieke · Teacher
Uitstekend! You kept 'opstaan' and 'meebrengen' whole. Great job listening today, everyone!
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