Breakdown of Het afval in de keuken is makkelijk scheidbaar.
zijn
to be
in
in
de keuken
the kitchen
het
it
makkelijk
easy
het afval
the waste
scheidbaar
separable
Questions & Answers about Het afval in de keuken is makkelijk scheidbaar.
How is the word scheidbaar formed?
It is formed by taking the stem of the verb scheiden (to separate) and adding the suffix -baar. This suffix works exactly like the English '-able' or '-ible', turning a verb into an adjective that describes what can be done to something. So, scheidbaar means 'separable' or 'able to be separated'.
Why is scheidbaar spelled with a 'd' in the middle, even though it sounds like a 't' before the 'b'?
In Dutch, the spelling of a derived word usually keeps the verb stem intact. The infinitive is scheiden, so the stem is scheid. Even though a 'd' at the end of a syllable sounds like a 't' in spoken Dutch, the written spelling relies on the root form, so it remains scheidbaar.
Could I use gemakkelijk instead of makkelijk in this sentence?
Yes, absolutely. Makkelijk and gemakkelijk mean exactly the same thing ('easy' or 'easily'). Makkelijk is simply a slightly more informal variant that has become entirely standard in everyday Dutch. In this sentence, it functions as an adverb describing how easily the waste can be separated.
If there are many different types of garbage in the kitchen, can I make afval plural?
No, afval is an uncountable mass noun when referring to garbage or waste, just like 'trash' or 'rubbish' in English. It only exists in the singular form, which is why it uses the singular verb is.
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