Complement Clause

Level 6

The small clause (or object complement) is a phrase that links a property to a direct object without using a full verb like 'to be'. It is common with verbs of judgment (vinden), result (maken), and naming (noemen).

How It Works

A small clause consists of a subject (which is the subject or object of the main verb) and a predicate (an adjective, noun, or prepositional phrase).

1. Object-Oriented (Result or Judgment)
The predicate describes the direct object.

  • Judgment: vinden (to find). E.g., Ik vind hem aardig.
  • Result: maken (to make), verven (to paint). E.g., Je maakt me blij or Hij verfde de deur groen.
  • Naming: noemen (to name). E.g., Ze noemden hem Jan.

2. Subject-Oriented (Depictive)
The predicate describes the state of the subject during the main action.
Example: Zij kwam ziek terug van vakantie. (She came back from vacation sick.)

3. Prepositional Predicates
Small clauses aren't limited to adjectives; they can be prepositional phrases describing a state.
Example: De spiegel ligt in duizend stukjes. (The mirror lies in a thousand pieces.)

Key Rules:

  • No Inflection: Adjectives in small clauses remain in the base form. You say de grote man but Ik vind de man groot.
  • Word Order: In subordinate clauses, the small clause predicate stays immediately before the verb cluster (e.g., ...omdat ik het mooi vind).

Examples (6)

  1. Je maakt me heel blij.

    You make me very happy.

    Word by Word: You make me very happy.

    The verb 'maken' is the most common verb for resultative small clauses, where 'blij' is the result of the action.

  2. Hij kwam dronken thuis.

    He came home drunk.

    Word by Word: He came drunk home.

    This is a subject-oriented small clause; 'dronken' describes the state of the subject 'hij' during the action.

  3. De vaas viel in scherven.

    The vase fell into shards.

    Word by Word: The vase fell in shards.

    A small clause predicate can also be a prepositional phrase like 'in scherven', describing the resulting state.

  4. Ik vind deze film erg spannend.

    I find this movie very exciting.

    Word by Word: I find this movie very exciting.

    Here, 'spannend' describes the state of 'deze film' according to the speaker.

  5. Zij noemden het schip de 'Oranje'.

    They named the ship the 'Oranje'.

    Word by Word: They named the ship the 'Oranje'.

    A naming verb where 'de Oranje' is the complement identifying the object 'het schip'.

  6. De jury verklaarde hem onschuldig.

    The jury declared him innocent.

    Word by Word: The jury declared him innocent.

    A formal declaration where 'onschuldig' is the status assigned to 'hem'.

Common Mistakes

  • Adding an -e ending to the adjective in a small clause.

    Ik vind hem aardige.
    Ik vind hem aardig.

    Learners often confuse this with attributive adjectives (de aardige man). In a small clause, the adjective is predicative and never takes an -e.

  • Using 'als' (as) with the verb 'vinden'.

    Ik vind hem als een goede vriend.
    Ik vind hem een goede vriend.

    While verbs like 'beschouwen' use 'als', the verb 'vinden' connects directly to the complement without 'als'.

  • Incorrect word order in subordinate clauses.

    ...omdat ik vind de soep lekker.
    ...omdat ik de soep lekker vind.

    In a subclause, the predicate (lekker) must come before the verb (vind).

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Complement ClauseLevel 6

Learn This First

A small clause is a construction where a noun or pronoun and a predicate (usually an adjective) function together as a complement to a verb, but without a finite verb of their own. To learn this, you need to be comfortable with object pronouns and how adjectives describe nouns.