Question 1

Why do we need the word er in the second half of the sentence?

Accepted Answer

This is the quantitative er. Whenever you state a quantity of something (like drie) but leave out the noun itself (bloemen), Dutch requires er. It functions a bit like 'of them' in English, so literally translated, the sentence says: '...and he chooses three expensive of them'.

Question 2

English says 'three expensive ones'. How does Dutch translate 'ones' here?

Accepted Answer

Dutch doesn't use a separate word for 'ones' in this context. Instead, it simply uses the adjective with an -e ending. By writing dure, the adjective stands on its own to mean 'expensive ones'. The -e is required here because it refers back to a plural noun (bloemen).

Question 3

The dictionary word for 'expensive' is duur. Why does dure only have one u?

Accepted Answer

This is a standard Dutch spelling rule you might remember. When you add the -e ending to duur, the word splits into syllables as du-re. Because the u is now at the end of an open syllable, it naturally makes a long vowel sound, so you must drop the second u.

Question 4

Why do we use te kopen instead of just kopen?

Accepted Answer

When linking verbs, Dutch often requires te before the infinitive (the full verb), much like 'to' in the English 'promises to buy'. You only leave out te after modal verbs (like kunnen, willen, moeten) and a few specific verbs (like gaan or blijven). Since beloven (to promise) is not one of those exceptions, you must use te.

Hij belooft bloemen te kopen, en hij kiest er drie dure.

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