Questions & Answers about Jij bent een jongen.
What is the difference between jij and je?
Both mean "you" (singular, informal). Jij is the stressed form, used when you want to put special emphasis on the person (like saying "YOU are a boy, not him"). Je is the unstressed, everyday form that you will hear most of the time.
Why does the verb change to bent here?
The infinitive (dictionary form) of this verb is zijn, which means "to be". It is an irregular verb, meaning it doesn't follow normal conjugation rules. When pairing it with jij (you), the correct form is always bent (are).
Does the word een change depending on the noun?
No, it does not. Unlike some other European languages, Dutch only has one word for "a" or "an". It is always een, regardless of whether the following noun is masculine, feminine, or neuter.
How should I pronounce een in this sentence?
It is pronounced like a soft "uh" (similar to the "u" in "unbelievable"). Beginners often try to pronounce it with a long "ay" sound because of the double "e", but that pronunciation is only used for the number one, which is written with accents as één.
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