Breakdown of Er is altijd goed gezelschap op dit feest.
zijn
to be
altijd
always
op
on
het feest
the party
dit
this (neuter)
goed
good
er
there (existential)
het gezelschap
the company (companionship, group)
Questions & Answers about Er is altijd goed gezelschap op dit feest.
What is the root of gezelschap, and how does the -schap suffix change it?
The suffix -schap creates a collective or abstract noun, much like "-ship" in English (e.g., friendship). Here, it's added to gezel, an old-fashioned word for "companion" or "journeyman". Together, gezelschap means the state of having companions, or simply "company".
Why is it goed gezelschap without an -e on the adjective?
Words ending in -schap that form a collective or state are usually neuter (het words). Because gezelschap is a het word and is used here without a definite article (it's indefinite "good company"), the adjective goed does not get an -e ending.
Why do we use op dit feest instead of bij or aan for "at this party"?
In Dutch, events and organized gatherings take the preposition op. You are "on" a party (op een feest), a wedding (op een bruiloft), or a birthday (op een verjaardag). Using in would strictly emphasize being inside the physical building, rather than attending the event itself.
Could I leave out er and say "Goed gezelschap is altijd op dit feest"?
Technically yes, but it sounds very unnatural. Just like English uses "There is..." to state that something exists in a certain place, Dutch uses er. It acts as a dummy subject to introduce the indefinite noun goed gezelschap into the sentence.
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