Breakdown of Dit bondgenootschap is belangrijk voor de veiligheid.
zijn
to be
dit
this (neuter)
belangrijk
important
voor
for (on behalf of)
de veiligheid
the safety
het bondgenootschap
the alliance
Questions & Answers about Dit bondgenootschap is belangrijk voor de veiligheid.
How does the word bondgenootschap break down, and how does the -schap suffix work here?
The word is built from bondgenoot (ally), which itself combines bond (league or union) and genoot (companion). Adding the suffix -schap turns the noun for a person into an abstract noun representing their collective relationship or state, giving us the word for alliance.
Why do we use dit with bondgenootschap? Are all nouns ending in -schap neuter?
We use dit because bondgenootschap is a neuter noun (a het-word). However, not all -schap words are neuter. Words describing a role or collective (like het moederschap or het lidmaatschap) are usually neuter. But some very common ones are de-words, such as de vriendschap (friendship) and de wetenschap (science).
Both bondgenootschap and veiligheid are abstract nouns. What is the main difference between using the -schap and -heid suffixes?
They generally attach to different parts of speech. The -schap suffix usually attaches to a noun (like bondgenoot) to form a collective, state, or role. The -heid suffix attaches to an adjective (like veilig, meaning safe) to turn that descriptive quality into a noun (safety).
Does veiligheid translate to safety or security?
It means both! Unlike English, Dutch uses the exact same word, veiligheid, to talk about protection from accidental harm (safety) and protection from intentional threats (security). In the context of a military or political alliance, security is often the most natural translation.
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