Sometimes you come across a verb that is actually not a verb: it is a noun, before which you can place an article (the, a). In Dutch, we use the infinitive when we use a verb as a noun:
| Het hebben van een huisdier is goed voor je gezondheid.
| (The) owning of a pet is good for your health.
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Sometimes, we can omit the article, though of course this does not change the status of the verb (being a noun):
| Op vakantie gaan is leuk.
| Going on vacation is nice.
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Don't be misled by this noun! If you consider it a verb, you will have a hard time analyzing the sentence.
Questions? 
