Zij is nou eenmaal koppig; dat gedrag is aangeboren.
She is simply stubborn; that behavior is innate.
Breakdown of Zij is nou eenmaal koppig; dat gedrag is aangeboren.
zijn
to be
zij
she
dat
that (het-words)
het gedrag
the behavior
Questions & Answers about Zij is nou eenmaal koppig; dat gedrag is aangeboren.
What exactly does nou eenmaal add to this sentence?
It adds a tone of resignation or inevitability. While Zij is koppig just means 'She is stubborn', adding nou eenmaal implies 'that is just the way it is and we cannot change it'. It perfectly sets up the second clause about her behavior being innate.
Could I use gewoon instead of nou eenmaal to mean 'simply' here?
You could, but the nuance changes. Zij is gewoon koppig means 'She is just stubborn', which is a simple observation. nou eenmaal goes a step further by emphasizing that this stubbornness is a fixed, unavoidable fact of life.
Why do we use dat instead of die in dat gedrag?
This is a quick reminder about demonstrative pronouns: gedrag is a neuter noun (het gedrag). When pointing to 'that' specific thing for a het word, you must always use dat. You would only use die for de words or plurals.
How is the adjective aangeboren formed?
It is a combination of aan (on/to) and geboren (born). Describing a trait as aangeboren literally means a person was 'born with' it, making it the perfect equivalent for the English word 'innate'.