Breakdown of De collectie uit de oudheid bevat ook gereedschap van de smeden.
ook
also / -ever (concessive particle)
uit
out of / from
van
from (possession, starting point) / made of
bevatten
to contain
het gereedschap
the tools
de collectie
the collection
de oudheid
the antiquity
de smid
the blacksmith
Questions & Answers about De collectie uit de oudheid bevat ook gereedschap van de smeden.
The singular of blacksmith is smid. Why is the plural smeden instead of smidden?
This is a highly irregular plural! Instead of just doubling the consonant to keep the short vowel (which would give you smidden), the vowel changes completely from a short 'i' to a long 'e'. This is similar to how schip (ship) becomes schepen.
Why is gereedschap used as a singular noun here if the English translation says "tools"?
In Dutch, gereedschap is a collective noun, much like the English word "equipment". Even when talking about a whole set of tools, the Dutch often use the singular form. The plural gereedschappen exists, but is usually reserved for talking about different types or distinct pieces of tools.
How does the suffix -heid work in oudheid?
The suffix -heid is added to adjectives to create abstract nouns, similar to "-ness" or "-ity" in English. Here, oud (old) becomes oudheid, which translates to "oldness" but is the standard Dutch word for "antiquity" or "ancient times".
Is the verb bevat separable?
No, bevatten (to contain) is inseparable. The prefix be- is unstressed, which is a clear rule that the verb cannot be split. Other common inseparable prefixes you will see are ge-, ver-, and ont-.
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