Questions & Answers about De mond van de baby is klein.
How can I apply this lesson's topic to say "The baby's mouth is somewhat small"?
You can add the adverb wat right before the adjective: De mond van de baby is wat klein. In this context, wat doesn't mean "what"; it acts as a degree modifier meaning "a little" or "somewhat".
Could I say De baby's mond instead of De mond van de baby?
Yes, absolutely. De baby's mond is klein is perfectly correct and sounds natural. Dutch frequently uses the van construction (literally "the mouth of the baby"), but the English-style 's possessive is also very common and accepted.
Since we are talking about a baby's small mouth, wouldn't it be more natural to use a diminutive?
You're spot on! In casual, everyday Dutch, people would very likely say Het mondje van de baby... instead. Dutch speakers love using diminutives for babies and small body parts. Just remember that all diminutives take the neuter article het instead of de.
Why doesn't klein get an -e at the end here?
Because it comes after the verb is. Adjectives usually only get an added -e when they are placed directly in front of the noun they describe (like in de kleine mond). When an adjective stands alone after a linking verb like "to be", it always stays in its basic, uninflected form.
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