Breakdown of Er is vrijwel niets wat deze aanpak merkwaardig maakt.
zijn
to be
maken
to make
deze
this / these
er
there (existential)
niets
nothing
vrijwel
almost / virtually (practically)
wat
that / which (relative)
merkwaardig
remarkable / strange (noteworthy, peculiar)
de aanpak
the approach
Questions & Answers about Er is vrijwel niets wat deze aanpak merkwaardig maakt.
Why do we use wat here instead of dat for 'that'?
In Dutch, when a relative pronoun refers back to an indefinite word like alles (everything), iets (something), or niets (nothing), you must use wat. Since the sentence refers back to vrijwel niets (almost nothing), wat is required here instead of dat.
Why is the verb maakt at the very end of the sentence?
The word wat introduces a relative clause (wat deze aanpak merkwaardig maakt). Relative clauses are a type of subordinate clause, which means the conjugated verb (maakt) must be pushed to the very end of that clause.
Can I use bijna instead of vrijwel here?
Yes, bijna and vrijwel both mean 'almost' and are often interchangeable. However, vrijwel is slightly more formal and translates well to 'virtually' or 'practically'. It is very commonly paired with absolute words like niets (nothing) or alles (everything).
Why does the sentence start with Er is?
Dutch frequently uses Er is (There is) to introduce an indefinite subject into a sentence. While you could technically say Vrijwel niets maakt deze aanpak merkwaardig, starting with Er is sounds very natural here, exactly like saying 'There is almost nothing that...' in English.
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