Word
Ik vind die beslissing heel kinderachtig.
Meaning
I find that decision very childish.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Breakdown of Ik vind die beslissing heel kinderachtig.
ik
I
heel
very
die
that / those (de-words and plurals)
de beslissing
the decision
Questions & Answers about Ik vind die beslissing heel kinderachtig.
Since this lesson is about -achtig, is there a difference between kinderachtig and kinderlijk?
Yes, there is a clear difference in nuance, just like in English. Kinderachtig means "childish" and almost always has a negative tone (meaning immature or silly), which perfectly fits a bad beslissing. Kinderlijk, on the other hand, means "childlike" and is usually neutral or positive, emphasizing innocence or simplicity (e.g., kinderlijke vreugde, childlike joy).
Why doesn't kinderachtig get an -e at the end here?
Because it is not placed directly in front of the noun. In this sentence, kinderachtig is used as a predicative adjective—it describes die beslissing but is separated from it by the verb structure. If you placed it directly before the noun, it would get the -e ending: een kinderachtige beslissing (a childish decision).
Could I say "Ik denk dat die beslissing heel kinderachtig is" instead?
Yes, grammatically that works perfectly. However, Dutch speakers heavily prefer using vinden (to find / to consider) over denken (to think) when expressing a personal opinion, taste, or judgment about something, like calling a decision childish.
The noun for child is kind. Why is the adjective formed with kinder- rather than kind-?