Question 1

Why do we use wat before bleek instead of a phrase like een beetje?

Accepted Answer

In this lesson, we see wat acting as an adverb to mean somewhat or a little. You could absolutely use een beetje (Je lijkt een beetje bleek), but wat is shorter and very common in everyday Dutch to soften a statement so it doesn't sound too harsh or direct.

Question 2

Why does the Dutch sentence say ben je verkouden rather than using the verb for to have?

Accepted Answer

In English you have a cold (a noun), but in Dutch, verkouden is an adjective that describes your state of illness. You use the verb zijn (to be) to say you are in that state. Be careful not to confuse this with feeling physically chilly due to the weather, which is the expression het koud hebben.

Question 3

Could I say Je ziet er wat bleek uit instead of Je lijkt wat bleek?

Accepted Answer

Yes, absolutely! Je ziet er wat bleek uit means you look a little pale, which focuses strictly on physical appearance. Je lijkt wat bleek translates closer to you seem somewhat pale. In this context, they mean practically the same thing and both are perfectly natural.

Question 4

Wait, isn't bleek the past tense of a verb?

Accepted Answer

Good catch! The word bleek is indeed the past tense of blijken (to turn out or to appear). However, in this sentence, it is the adjective meaning pale. You can tell because it is being modified by the degree word wat and describes the subject after the verb lijken.

Je lijkt wat bleek, ben je verkouden?

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