Breakdown of De nieuwe buurman is erg vriendelijk, hè?
zijn
to be
erg
very / really
nieuw
new
de buurman
the neighbor (male)
Questions & Answers about De nieuwe buurman is erg vriendelijk, hè?
Why do we use hè at the end of this sentence instead of toch?
Both ask for confirmation, but hè is very informal and always goes at the very end of the sentence, much like "right?" or "isn't he?" in English. You use hè when you expect the listener to completely agree with you. Toch can also mean "right?" at the end of a sentence, but it is often placed earlier in the sentence as well.
Could I use of niet instead of hè in this sentence?
Yes, you could say De nieuwe buurman is erg vriendelijk, of niet? This literally translates to "or not?" However, of niet can sound a bit more direct or challenging, whereas hè keeps the tone light, friendly, and conversational.
Why does nieuwe get an -e at the end here?
Because buurman is a de word (de buurman). Whenever an adjective comes directly before a noun with the definite article de, it gets an extra -e at the end.
Can I use heel instead of erg to mean "very"?
Yes, heel vriendelijk and erg vriendelijk mean exactly the same thing and are completely interchangeable here. While erg can mean "terrible" when used on its own, when it is placed before another adjective it simply means "very".