Breakdown of Mijn eigen baas koopt altijd suikervrij snoep.
kopen
to buy
altijd
always
het snoep
the candy
mijn
my
de baas
the boss
eigen
own
suikervrij
sugar-free
Questions & Answers about Mijn eigen baas koopt altijd suikervrij snoep.
How does the suffix -vrij work in the word suikervrij?
The suffix -vrij is the exact equivalent of the English suffix "-free". It is highly productive, meaning you can attach it to almost any noun to indicate that something is lacking or absent. Just like suikervrij means "sugar-free", you can easily form words like glutenvrij (gluten-free), kofeïnevrij (caffeine-free), or stressvrij (stress-free).
Why is it suikervrij snoep and not suikervrije snoep?
This is a great refresher on adjective endings. Snoep is a neuter noun (a het word). In Dutch, adjectives do not get the -e ending when they are placed before an indefinite, singular neuter noun. Because we are talking about candy in general and there is no het, dit, or dat in front of it, the adjective drops the -e and remains suikervrij.
Is snoep plural here, or is it considered an uncountable noun?
Snoep is used here as a singular, uncountable mass noun to refer to candy in general. If you want to refer to a single, individual piece of candy, you must use the diminutive form een snoepje (and the plural for multiple individual pieces is snoepjes).
Could eigen mean something else besides "own" in a different context?
Yes! While in mijn eigen baas it simply emphasizes possession ("my own boss"), at a B2 level you will also see eigen used to mean "peculiar", "quirky", or "characteristic". For example, hij heeft een heel eigen stijl means "he has a very distinctive/peculiar style".
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