Breakdown of Ik drink vanavond alleen alcoholvrij bier.
ik
I
drinken
to drink
vanavond
tonight
het bier
the beer
Questions & Answers about Ik drink vanavond alleen alcoholvrij bier.
Why is it alcoholvrij bier and not alcoholvrije bier?
The normal adjective ending rules still apply to these suffixed words. Because bier is a neuter noun (het bier) and is being used without a definite article like het or dat, the adjective before it does not get the -e ending. If it were a de word like wijn, it would be alcoholvrije wijn.
How does the suffix -vrij work in alcoholvrij?
The suffix -vrij translates literally to '-free' and means 'completely without'. You attach it directly to a noun to create a new adjective. It is part of a very productive set of suffixes alongside -arm (low in) and -rijk (rich in), allowing you to form many common descriptions effortlessly.
Could I use the suffix -arm here if the beer still contained a tiny bit of alcohol?
Yes! You would say alcoholarm bier. While -vrij means completely alcohol-free, -arm means 'poor in' or 'low in'. It is the perfect suffix when you want to express that a product has a reduced amount of a specific ingredient.
Why does vanavond come right after the verb instead of at the end of the sentence?