Breakdown of Hoe duur de piano ook is, de toetsen die je ziet zijn kapot.
zijn
to be
ook
also / -ever (concessive particle)
zien
to see
duur
expensive
hoe
how
je
you (unstressed form of jij)
de piano
the piano
kapot
broken
die
who / that (relative pronoun)
de toets
the key (keyboard, piano)
Questions & Answers about Hoe duur de piano ook is, de toetsen die je ziet zijn kapot.
What does the combination of hoe, ook, and the adjective do in this sentence?
It creates a concessive degree clause, which translates to 'however [adjective]' or 'no matter how [adjective]'. In this structure, hoe is immediately followed by the adjective (duur), then the subject. The word ook is essential for the 'no matter' meaning, and the clause uses subordinate word order, sending the verb (is) to the end.
Since the sentence starts with a subordinate clause, shouldn't the main clause use inversion (...zijn de toetsen kapot)?
Normally, yes! Starting a sentence with a subordinate clause usually triggers inversion in the main clause. However, concessive clauses formed with a question word plus ook (like hoe ... ook, wat ... ook, or wie ... ook) are an exception. They are treated almost like a separate, standalone phrase, so the main clause that follows keeps regular subject-verb word order: de toetsen ... zijn.
Why is die used for 'that' in de toetsen die je ziet?
Toetsen (keys) is a plural noun. In Dutch, all plural nouns act as de-words, regardless of their singular gender. When referring back to a de-word in a relative clause, you must use die instead of dat.
Could I use gebroken instead of kapot to say the piano keys are broken?
Usually not. Gebroken implies that something has literally snapped or shattered into pieces (like glass, a bone, or a twig). For mechanisms, electronics, or complex objects that are damaged and simply no longer work correctly (like piano keys), kapot is the much more natural choice.
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