Breakdown of De kou maakt de groep moedeloos.
maken
to make
de groep
the group
de kou
the cold
moedeloos
despondent / discouraged
Questions & Answers about De kou maakt de groep moedeloos.
How does the suffix -loos work in the word moedeloos?
The suffix -loos means "without" or "-less". Here, it is attached to the noun moed (courage). So literally, moedeloos means "courageless", which translates to "despondent" or "disheartened". Notice that an extra linking -e- is added between moed and loos to make pronunciation easier.
What is the difference between moedeloos and hopeloos?
While both describe negative feelings, they stem from different nouns. Moedeloos comes from moed (courage) and means you are losing the will or energy to keep trying. Hopeloos comes from hoop (hope) and means a situation has no chance of success.
The word for "cold" here is de kou. Isn't the adjective koud? Why does the noun drop the "d"?
In Dutch, the most common noun form for cold weather or temperature is simply de kou. There is also the noun de koude, which keeps the "d", but it sounds much more formal or literary. For everyday use, sticking with de kou is best.
Can I always use maken plus an adjective to say something "makes someone [adjective]", like in this sentence?
Yes, using maken with an object and an adjective (like maakt de groep moedeloos) is the standard way to express this in Dutch. It perfectly mirrors the English "makes the group despondent" and is used very consistently for causing a state or emotion.
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