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Questions & Answers about Het sapje is zoet.
How does the word sapje get its meaning of 'small juice'?
It comes from the base word sap (juice). By adding the suffix -je to the end, it becomes a diminutive, which translates to 'small juice' or 'little juice'.
Is it always het with a -je word?
Yes, and this is a great rule to remember! Every single diminutive noun in Dutch is a het word. Even if the original word used de, it automatically switches to het when you add -je.
Why would someone say 'small juice' instead of just 'juice'?
Dutch speakers frequently use diminutives for food and drinks to indicate a single, individual serving. Here, het sapje usually means a single glass or small bottle of juice, rather than just 'juice' in general.
Why is the adjective zoet instead of zoete?
Adjectives only get an extra -e at the end when they are placed directly in front of the noun they describe (like het zoete sapje). Because the adjective zoet is separated from the noun by the verb is, it stays in its basic dictionary form.