Questions & Answers about De man is heel moe.
Doesn't heel usually mean "whole" or "entire"?
It can! But when you put heel right before an adjective like moe (tired), it acts as a degree modifier meaning "very". So heel moe means "very tired".
Could I use erg instead of heel in this sentence?
Yes, absolutely. Both heel and erg mean "very" when placed before an adjective. Saying De man is erg moe means exactly the same thing and is very common in Dutch.
Why doesn't the adjective moe have an -e at the end here?
Because it comes after the verb is (this is called a predicative adjective). In Dutch, adjectives only get an added -e when they come directly in front of the noun they describe. When they stand alone after the verb, they keep their basic, uninflected form.
How do I pronounce moe?
The Dutch oe combination makes an "oo" sound, similar to the vowel sound in the English word "moo" or "shoe". It doesn't rhyme with the English name "Moe".