Dutch A2.4 Listening Practice: Keep Separable Infinitives Together
Listen to a A2 Dutch dialogue about keep separable infinitives together, with audio, transcript, and grammar notes for language learning.
Podcast listening pages are in beta while chapter audio, transcripts, and discussion flows are still being completed.
Level
A2.4
Audio
Segmented audio
Transcript
23 segments
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.
Audio ready
2. Daan · Student
Hi Marieke, I am Daan. I always wonder: when do we split separable verbs, and when do we keep them together?
Audio ready
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.
Audio ready
4. Bram · Native Speaker 1
Morgen is het heel druk, dus ik wil vroeg opstaan.
Audio ready
5. Lotte · Native Speaker 2
Ik moet om zeven uur opstaan voor mijn werk.
Audio ready
6. Bram · Native Speaker 1
Kun je dit goede boek meebrengen?
Audio ready
7. Lotte · Native Speaker 2
Ja, en mag ik twee boeken meebrengen?
Audio ready
8. Bram · Native Speaker 1
Dat is heel fijn, dank je wel!
Audio ready
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.
Audio ready
10. Daan · Student
So as long as a modal verb is present, the prefix 'op' does not split off from 'staan'?
Audio ready
11. Marieke · Teacher
Exactly! The modal verb takes the finite position, leaving 'opstaan' as a complete infinitive at the right edge.
Audio ready
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.
Audio ready
13. Daan · Student
Does the time expression 'om zeven uur' always go before the infinitive verb at the end?
Audio ready
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.
Audio ready
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.
Audio ready
16. Daan · Student
Does 'meebrengen' work the exact same way as 'opstaan' in modal sentences?
Audio ready
17. Marieke · Teacher
Precisely. Because 'kun' is finite, 'mee' and 'brengen' stay joined together as an infinitive.
Audio ready
18. Marieke · Teacher
Finally, Lotte asked: 'Mag ik twee boeken meebrengen?' This means: 'May I bring two books?' 'Mag' comes from 'mogen'.
Audio ready
19. Daan · Student
Does 'mogen' follow the exact same rule as 'willen', 'moeten', and 'kunnen'?
Audio ready
20. Marieke · Teacher
Yes! All modal verbs keep the separable infinitive whole at the end of the clause.
Audio ready
21. Marieke · Teacher
Now, Daan, try the challenge phrase: 'I want to get up early. Can you bring this good book?'
Audio ready
22. Daan · Student
Ik wil vroeg opstaan. Kun je dit goede boek meebrengen?
Audio ready
23. Marieke · Teacher
Uitstekend! You kept 'opstaan' and 'meebrengen' whole. Great job listening today, everyone!
Audio ready