Breakdown of Dat is een zware straf voor een klein kind.
zijn
to be
een
a/an
klein
small
het kind
the child
dat
that (het-words)
zwaar
heavy / severe (of a punishment) / tough, hard
voor
for (on behalf of)
de straf
the punishment
Questions & Answers about Dat is een zware straf voor een klein kind.
Why does zware get an -e at the end, but klein doesn't?
This is a great review of adjective endings after een. Straf is a de-word (de straf), so the adjective before it gets an -e (een zware straf). However, kind is a het-word (het kind). When a het-word follows een, the adjective does not get an -e (een klein kind).
Why is zware spelled with only one a when the root word is zwaar?
This is the Dutch open syllable spelling rule. When you add the -e to zwaar, the word splits into syllables as zwa-re. Because the a is now at the end of a syllable, a single a automatically makes a long vowel sound. Keeping two as would be incorrect spelling in Dutch.
Doesn't zwaar usually mean heavy?
Yes, physically it means heavy. However, it is frequently used metaphorically in Dutch to mean severe, tough, or hard. You will often see it used in contexts like een zware straf (a severe punishment) or een zware tijd (a tough time).
Since straf is a de-word, shouldn't the sentence start with Die is instead of Dat is?
When you point to an abstract situation or introduce something with a form of the verb zijn (to be), you always use the independent pronouns Dat is or Dit is (That is / This is), no matter the gender of the noun that follows. You would only use die if it were directly attached to the noun, like in Die straf is zwaar (That punishment is severe).
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