Breakdown of De buurman is altijd erg vriendelijk, hè?
zijn
to be
altijd
always
erg
very / really
de buurman
the neighbor (male)
hè
eh?, right? (tag)
vriendelijk
friendly
Questions & Answers about De buurman is altijd erg vriendelijk, hè?
Why do we use hè at the end of this sentence?
In Dutch, hè is an informal tag added to the end of a sentence when you expect the listener to agree with you. It works just like saying "right?" or "isn't he?" in English.
Could I use toch instead of hè here?
Yes, but it changes the nuance slightly. While hè casually asks for agreement, toch implies you are a bit more uncertain and want actual confirmation, like saying "The neighbor is always very friendly, isn't that so?"
What if I end the sentence with of niet?
Adding of niet ("or not?") makes the question more direct. It sounds like you are actively challenging the listener to disagree or firmly confirm your statement.
Can I use heel instead of erg in this sentence?
Yes, heel vriendelijk and erg vriendelijk mean exactly the same thing ("very friendly") and are completely interchangeable here.
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