Breakdown of Verschillende winkeliers verkopen tweedehands boeken.
het boek
the book
verkopen
to sell
de winkelier
the shopkeeper
tweedehands
second-hand
Questions & Answers about Verschillende winkeliers verkopen tweedehands boeken.
Does verschillende mean "different" or "various" here?
In this sentence, it means "various" or "several". When verschillende is placed directly before a plural noun without an article (like de), it almost always means "several". If it meant "different", you would usually see it with an article, like de verschillende winkeliers (the different shopkeepers).
Why doesn't verschillende get an -n at the end (like verschillenden)?
Because it is placed directly in front of the noun it modifies (winkeliers). Words like verschillende, sommige, and enkele only get an -n at the end when they are used as independent pronouns referring to people, without the noun attached. If the sentence dropped the noun and just said "Several sell books", it would be Verschillenden verkopen boeken.
Why is it tweedehands boeken and not tweedehandse boeken? Don't adjectives usually get an -e before plural nouns?
Normally, yes! However, tweedehands is an exception. It is an invariable adjective, which means its spelling never changes, no matter what noun it describes. Other common invariable adjectives you might know include gratis (free) and roze (pink).
What is the difference between winkeliers and verkopers?