Learn Dutch: Niemand houdt van die ijdele acteur, ook al is hij waanzinnig beroemd. - Nobody likes that vain actor, even though he is insanely famous.

Niemand houdt van die ijdele acteur, ook al is hij waanzinnig beroemd.

Nobody likes that vain actor, even though he is insanely famous.

Breakdown of Niemand houdt van die ijdele acteur, ook al is hij waanzinnig beroemd.

zijn

to be

hij

he / it (referring to a 'de'-word)

houden van

to love / to like

die

that / those (de-words and plurals)

Questions & Answers about Niemand houdt van die ijdele acteur, ook al is hij waanzinnig beroemd.

This lesson is about using "mogen" for concession. How would I rewrite the "ook al" clause using "mogen"?

To express this same concession using mogen, you would say: Die ijdele acteur mag dan (wel) waanzinnig beroemd zijn, niemand houdt van hem. (That vain actor may well be insanely famous, but nobody likes him). Using mag dan wel is a classic B2/C1 way to acknowledge a fact before countering it.

Why is the word order ook al is hij (verb-subject) instead of sending the verb to the end?

The phrase ook al (even though) is a famous exception to normal Dutch subordinate clause rules. While a similar conjunction like hoewel pushes the verb to the end (hoewel hij waanzinnig beroemd is), ook al triggers inversion. The verb comes immediately after it, followed by the subject.

Can waanzinnig be used as an intensifier for positive things too?

Yes! Just like "insanely" or "crazy" in English, waanzinnig literally means "delusional" or "insane," but it is heavily used as a strong intensifier in both positive and negative contexts. You will often hear Dutch speakers say Dat is waanzinnig! to mean "That's amazing!"

Why does the adjective ijdel (vain) get an extra -e in die ijdele acteur?