Breakdown of Het geblaf van de hond is heel hard.
zijn
to be
de hond
the dog
heel
very
hard
loud / fast (forceful) / hard (with effort)
van
from (possession, starting point) / made of
het geblaf
the barking
Questions & Answers about Het geblaf van de hond is heel hard.
Why do we use geblaf here instead of making a noun out of the infinitive, like het blaffen?
You can use het blaffen, which simply means the act of barking. However, adding the prefix ge- to the verb stem blaf emphasizes that the action is continuous, repetitive, and usually irritating. It highlights the annoyance of the ongoing noise.
How do I know whether to use de or het with geblaf?
Nouns created by adding the prefix ge- to a verb stem to describe an ongoing action are always het words. Therefore, it is always het geblaf, just like het gezeur for nagging or het geklaag for complaining.
Why is hard used here to mean loud? Can I use luid?
Yes, you can use luid, but in everyday Dutch, hard is much more common when talking about the volume of sounds, such as voices, music, or a dog barking. To a Dutch speaker, luid can sometimes sound a bit more formal or written.
Does the word geblaf have a plural form?
No, it does not. Nouns formed with ge- plus the verb stem that describe a continuous action are uncountable concepts. You are referring to the general noise of the barking, not individual barks.
Learn Het geblaf van de hond is heel hard and more in Dutch
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free