Questions & Answers about Hij is een man.
Why is 'een' pronounced like 'uhn' instead of with an 'ee' sound?
In Dutch, the indefinite article een ("a" or "an") is pronounced with a short, relaxed "uh" sound, just like the "a" in the English word "about". If a Dutch speaker wants to say the number "one", they write it with accent marks as één and pronounce it with a long "ay" sound.
How do you pronounce the 'ij' in 'hij'?
The ij sound is a special vowel combination in Dutch. It sounds somewhere between the English word "hi" and the "ay" in "say", but pronounced with your mouth a bit wider open.
Is the verb 'is' exactly the same in Dutch and English?
Yes! When talking about hij (he), zij (she), or het (it), the Dutch verb for "to be" is is. It looks and means exactly the same as in English, and sounds very similar too. It comes from the infinitive verb zijn (to be).
Do I need to change 'een' depending on the gender of the word 'man'?
No, you don't. Unlike some other European languages, the Dutch word for "a" or "an" (een) never changes shape. You use een for all singular nouns, no matter if they are masculine, feminine, or neuter.
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