Breakdown of Het gebouw bestaat uit verschillende eenheden.
uit
out of / from
het gebouw
the building
bestaan
to exist
verschillende
various, several
de eenheid
the unit
Questions & Answers about Het gebouw bestaat uit verschillende eenheden.
What is the singular form of eenheden, and how is this plural formed?
The singular is eenheid (unit). Nouns that end in the suffix -heid form their plural irregularly: the suffix changes to -heden. Therefore, eenheid becomes eenheden. You will see this pattern frequently with abstract nouns, for example with mogelijkheid (possibility) becoming mogelijkheden.
Why do we use the preposition uit in this sentence?
On its own, the verb bestaan means "to exist". However, when combined with the preposition uit, it forms the fixed expression bestaan uit, which means "to consist of" or "to be made up of". Whenever you want to say what something consists of in Dutch, you always use uit (literally "out of").
Doesn't verschillende mean "different"? Why does the translation say "various"?
The word verschillend can mean both "different" and "various" (or "several"). When placed directly before a plural noun without comparing two specific things, it usually translates to "various" or "several". While you could translate it as "different units", "various units" is a more natural fit for what this sentence is communicating.
Why is there an -e at the end of verschillende?
Because it is an adjective describing a plural noun (eenheden). As a general rule in Dutch, when an adjective is placed directly in front of a plural noun, it always gets an -e ending, regardless of whether the singular noun is a de word or a het word.
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