Breakdown of Hij bouwt aan zijn eigen succesvolle onderneming.
hij
he / it (referring to a 'de'-word)
zijn
his
aan
on / at (attached to, edge)
bouwen
to build
eigen
own
succesvol
successful
de onderneming
the enterprise
Questions & Answers about Hij bouwt aan zijn eigen succesvolle onderneming.
How does zijn eigen work here, and does eigen ever change its ending?
Zijn eigen emphasizes that the business is his own. The word eigen is a special adjective because it never gets an -e at the end, regardless of whether the noun is a de or het word. So it is always zijn eigen, never zijn eigene.
Why does the sentence use bouwt aan instead of just bouwt?
Bouwen aan is a fixed combination meaning to work on developing or improving something over time, usually something abstract like a business, a future, or a relationship. If you just use bouwt, it usually implies physically constructing a building or object.
Since eigen does not get an -e, why does succesvolle get one?
The noun onderneming is a de word. When an adjective comes before a de word, it normally gets an -e ending. Because eigen is an exception, the regular rule simply applies to the next adjective, turning succesvol into succesvolle. Notice that the single l becomes a double ll to keep the short o vowel sound.
Is there a difference between an onderneming and a bedrijf?
Both words mean business or company. However, onderneming is slightly more formal and translates closer to enterprise or undertaking. Bedrijf is the standard, everyday word you will hear most often.
Learn Hij bouwt aan zijn eigen succesvolle onderneming and more in Dutch
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free