Breakdown of Hun lange vriendschap is heel bijzonder.
zijn
to be
heel
very
hun
their
lang
long
bijzonder
special
de vriendschap
the friendship
Questions & Answers about Hun lange vriendschap is heel bijzonder.
What does the suffix -schap actually do to the word vriend?
It turns the concrete person (de vriend, the friend) into an abstract state or relationship (de vriendschap, the friendship). It functions exactly like the English suffix "-ship". You will see it used to form many abstract nouns, such as de blijdschap (the joy) or de wetenschap (the science).
Does the -schap suffix help us know whether to use de or het?
Yes, but there is a nuance to remember! Abstract nouns ending in -schap that describe a state or quality (like vriendschap or zwangerschap) are always de words. However, words ending in -schap that describe physical objects or collectives (like het landschap or het gereedschap) are usually het words.
Why does lang get an -e at the end to become lange?
Because vriendschap is a de word. When an adjective comes directly before a de word, it almost always gets an -e ending. This applies even after possessive pronouns like hun (their).
Why is there no -e on the end of heel or bijzonder?
Two reasons! First, bijzonder is used here as a predicate adjective (it comes directly after the verb is rather than before the noun), and predicate adjectives never get an -e in Dutch. Second, heel is acting as an adverb modifying bijzonder to mean "very special". Adverbs don't get an -e either.
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