Breakdown of De opvoeding van een tiener is soms moeilijk.
zijn
to be
soms
sometimes
moeilijk
difficult
van
from (possession, starting point) / made of
Questions & Answers about De opvoeding van een tiener is soms moeilijk.
How can I remember that opvoeding is a de word?
Opvoeding (upbringing) comes from the verb opvoeden (to raise). In Dutch, almost all nouns that end in -ing are de words.
Why isn't it moeilijke with an -e at the end?
Adjectives only get an extra -e when they are placed right before the noun they describe (like de moeilijke opvoeding). Here, moeilijk comes after the verb is, so it stays in its basic dictionary form.
Is tiener just the English word 'teenager'?
Yes! It comes from English, but it's spelled the Dutch way. Just like in English, it refers to young people whose ages end in -tien (dertien, veertien, etc.).
Why does soms come right after is?
In a simple main clause like this, adverbs of time (like soms, meaning sometimes) generally go right after the conjugated verb.