Breakdown of Ik weeg altijd precies vijftig gram havermout.
ik
I
altijd
always
precies
exactly
vijftig
fifty
Questions & Answers about Ik weeg altijd precies vijftig gram havermout.
Why is there no word for "of" between gram and havermout?
In English, you say "fifty grams of oatmeal". But in Dutch, when you have a unit of measurement (vijftig gram) followed by the substance being measured (havermout), you simply put them right next to each other without a preposition. This is the noun phrase juxtaposition or "zero preposition" (nulvoorzetsel) rule you are currently learning.
Since the number is fifty, shouldn't gram be pluralized as grammen?
No, it stays singular here. In Dutch, most units of measurement, weight, and distance (like gram, kilo, liter, meter) remain in the singular form when they are preceded by a specific number above one. You only use the plural grammen when you are talking about the unit in general without a specific number, for example: Ik weeg de havermout in grammen (I weigh the oatmeal in grams).
Could I change the word order and say precies altijd instead of altijd precies?
No, altijd precies is the natural order here. In Dutch, adverbs of time (like altijd) usually come as early as possible after the verb. Here, precies (exactly) acts as a modifier specifically attached to the quantity vijftig gram. Therefore, the general time indicator (altijd) comes first, followed by the exact measurement phrase (precies vijftig gram).