Breakdown of De vrijwilliger helpt de blinde ermee.
helpen
to help
ermee
with it
de vrijwilliger
the volunteer
blind
blind
Questions & Answers about De vrijwilliger helpt de blinde ermee.
How do we know de blinde means the blind person without using the Dutch word for person?
In Dutch, you can turn an adjective into a noun that refers to a person by adding an -e to the base adjective and putting de in front. So the adjective blind becomes de blinde (the blind person).
Why does the sentence use ermee instead of translating with it literally as met het?
Dutch rarely uses standard prepositions directly with het (it). Instead, you use er combined with the preposition. When the preposition is met (with), it changes its form to mee, giving us the combined word ermee.
Can I split ermee and put part of it earlier in the sentence?
Yes, you can! Both De vrijwilliger helpt de blinde ermee and De vrijwilliger helpt er de blinde mee are grammatically correct. The word er is very flexible and often jumps right after the verb, leaving the preposition part (mee) at the end of the clause.
Does the word vrijwilliger have a literal translation that makes it easier to remember?
Yes! It helps to look at its parts: it combines vrij (free) and willig (willing), plus the -er suffix to indicate a person. A vrijwilliger is literally a free-willer who offers their help voluntarily.