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Questions & Answers about Goedemiddag! Is de koffie klaar?
Why is it goedemiddag and not 'goedmiddag'?
It comes from combining goed (good) and middag (afternoon). In Dutch, adjectives often get an extra -e at the end when they describe a noun. Over time, this common phrase simply merged into a single word.
How does the word order work in the question Is de koffie klaar?
To make a yes/no question in Dutch, you swap the subject and the verb. The standard statement is De koffie is klaar (The coffee is ready). By putting the verb (is) at the very beginning, it turns into a question!
Can klaar mean anything else besides 'ready'?
Yes! While it means 'ready' here, klaar is also the standard word for 'finished' or 'done'. For example, if you complete a task or finish eating, you can say Ik ben klaar (I am done).
How do I know to use de instead of het for koffie?
You generally have to memorize whether a noun takes de or het (the Dutch words for 'the'). However, there is a handy trick: almost all drinks like coffee, tea, wine, and juice are de words. The two main exceptions you will see early on are het water (water) and het bier (beer).