Breakdown of Hij zal zijn woede in een lange brief uitdrukken.
hij
he / it (referring to a 'de'-word)
een
a/an
in
in
zijn
his
lang
long
de brief
the letter
zullen
shall / will
uitdrukken
to express
de woede
the anger
Questions & Answers about Hij zal zijn woede in een lange brief uitdrukken.
How does the noun woede fit into our lesson about the -de suffix?
Woede (anger or rage) acts much like other nouns in this lesson, such as liefde (love). While liefde is formed by adding -de to the modern adjective lief, the root of woede is tied to the verb woeden (to rage) and the adjective woedend (furious). The ending creates the abstract noun representing that state of mind.
Why is the verb uitdrukken placed at the very end of the sentence?
The sentence uses the auxiliary verb zal (will), which takes the conjugated second position. In Dutch main clauses, an auxiliary or modal verb always pushes the main action verb (uitdrukken) to the end of the sentence in its full infinitive form.
Why does lang get an extra -e to become lange here?
Because brief is a de-word (de brief). When an adjective comes before a de-word, it almost always takes the -e ending, even when it follows the indefinite article een. You only drop the -e after een if you are describing a het-word (for example, een lang bericht).
Does the verb uitdrukken literally mean 'to press out'?
Yes, uitdrukken is a separable verb made of uit (out) and drukken (to press). While you can use it literally (like putting out a cigarette), it is mostly used in a figurative sense meaning to express feelings, thoughts, or ideas, which perfectly mirrors the Latin roots of the English word 'express'.
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