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Durative constructions with bezig zijn te or
bezig zijn met
A third durative construction consists of the word bezig combined with
the verb zijn and te. As in the first example, separable verbs must be
separated by te in this construction. For many cases, an alternative form
is bezig zijn combined with the preposition met and a nominalized verb
or a noun. Examples for both:
Sanne is bezig af te wassen.
Sanne is doing the dishes.
Alternatives: Sanne is bezig met afwassen. Sanne is bezig met de afwas.
Erik is bezig de kaart te lezen.
Erik is reading the map.
Alternatives: Erik is bezig met kaartlezen. Erik is bezig met de kaart.
Note: The word bezig in Dutch is not an exact equivalent for English ‘busy’
even though the two words sound so similar. English ‘busy’ should be translated
as follows:
‘I’m busy’ Ik heb het druk (alternatively Ik ben druk met ...), ‘a busy
street’ een drukke straat, ‘the shop is busy’ het is druk in de winkel. However,
the expression Ik ben (even) bezig is often used to say that one cannot
be interrupted because one is busy doing something at the moment.
To use this durative construction in the past, you can use the simple past
(example 1) as well as the present perfect (example 2), for the verbal
(examples 1, 2) as well as the nominal (examples 3, 4) version. Examples:
1 Erik was de hele dag bezig de zolder op te ruimen.
Erik spent the whole day cleaning up the attic.
2 Erik is de hele dag bezig geweest de zolder op te ruimen.
3 Erik was de hele dag op zolder met opruimen bezig.
4 Erik is de hele dag op zolder met opruimen bezig geweest.
Word order in durative constructions
In each of the durative constructions, the infinitive of the verb expressing
the action or activity will always be at the end. Other additions to the
sentences will follow the rules as described in Unit 23 of Basic Dutch.
Examples:
Durative
constructions
with
bezig zijn
te or
bezig zijn
met
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