Breakdown of Dit fossiel dateert van anderhalf miljoen jaar geleden.
dit
this (neuter)
het jaar
the year
van
from (possession, starting point) / made of
geleden
ago
anderhalf
one and a half
miljoen
one million
het fossiel
the fossil
dateren
to date / to originate from (time, historical)
Questions & Answers about Dit fossiel dateert van anderhalf miljoen jaar geleden.
Why is "one and a half" translated as the single word anderhalf?
In Dutch, "one and a half" is always expressed as the single word anderhalf. It historically means "the second is a half" (where ander means "other" or "second"). For larger numbers, you combine the number with -en-half, like tweeënhalf (two and a half).
Why is it jaar (singular) instead of jaren (plural) after such a large number?
In Dutch, nouns used as units of measurement, weight, or time (like jaar, uur, keer, or kilo) usually remain singular when they come right after a specific number. Because anderhalf miljoen is a specific quantity, jaar stays singular.
Is the preposition van always used with dateren?
When specifying exactly how long ago something originated, you use dateren van (dates from). If you are referring to a historical period or era rather than a time span, you usually use dateren uit, as in het dateert uit de middeleeuwen (it dates from the Middle Ages).
Why does the sentence use Dit fossiel rather than Deze fossiel?
Fossiel is a neuter noun, meaning it is a het-word (het fossiel). When pointing out a singular het-word, you must use the demonstrative pronoun dit (this) instead of deze.
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