Breakdown of Het stedelijk gebied moet aantrekkelijk blijven.
blijven
to stay
moeten
to have to, must
het gebied
the area
aantrekkelijk
attractive
stedelijk
urban
Questions & Answers about Het stedelijk gebied moet aantrekkelijk blijven.
Why is it Het stedelijk gebied and not Het stedelijke gebied, since gebied is a het-word with a definite article?
Normally, an adjective after a definite article like het gets an -e ending. However, in formal or written Dutch, adjectives ending in -lijk, -ig, or -isch often drop the -e before a neuter noun. Additionally, stedelijk gebied is often treated as a fixed administrative term, which makes dropping the -e even more common here.
If I want to contrast this sentence with another idea using enerzijds ... anderzijds, how does the word order change?
If you start the clause with Enerzijds, it takes the first position, so the verb and subject must swap (inversion). For example: Enerzijds moet het stedelijk gebied aantrekkelijk blijven, anderzijds kost dat veel geld. Both connectors trigger inversion in their respective clauses.
Why doesn't aantrekkelijk get an -e ending here?
In this sentence, aantrekkelijk is used as a predicate adjective. It describes the subject (het stedelijk gebied) via a linking verb (blijven), rather than being placed directly in front of a noun. In Dutch, predicate adjectives never get an -e ending.
What is the difference between stedelijk and stads?
Both translate to 'urban' or 'of the city', but stedelijk is used in a more formal, geographical, or administrative context (like urban planning or a municipal museum). Stads describes the culture, lifestyle, or typical vibe of a city, such as a stads character or stadse habits.
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