Breakdown of Mensen met dit sterrenbeeld zijn vaak onvoorspelbaar.
zijn
to be
met
with
vaak
often
dit
this (neuter)
Questions & Answers about Mensen met dit sterrenbeeld zijn vaak onvoorspelbaar.
How is the adjective onvoorspelbaar built?
It uses the negative prefix on- (un-/not) attached to the adjective voorspelbaar (predictable). That base adjective is formed from the verb voorspellen (to predict) and the suffix -baar (-able). Adding on- is a highly productive way to create opposites in Dutch, just like "un-" in English.
What is the literal translation of the compound noun sterrenbeeld?
It literally translates to "stars image" or "picture of stars." It is a compound of sterren (stars) and beeld (image/statue), joined together. In Dutch, it is the standard word for both a physical constellation in the sky and an astrological zodiac sign.
Why do we use dit instead of deze before sterrenbeeld?
Because sterrenbeeld is a neuter noun (a het-word). In compound nouns, the final word determines the gender, and beeld is a het-word (het beeld). Therefore, you must use dit (this) instead of deze, which is reserved for de-words and all plurals.
Why is there no article before Mensen?