Breakdown of De kok gebruikt minstens een kilo knoflook per week.
een
a/an
de week
the week
gebruiken
to use
de kilo
the kilo
Questions & Answers about De kok gebruikt minstens een kilo knoflook per week.
Why is there no word for "of" between kilo and knoflook?
In Dutch, when expressing a quantity or measurement, you put the unit (een kilo) directly next to the substance (knoflook) without using a preposition like van (of). This grammar rule is called noun phrase juxtaposition.
Can I say "een kilo van knoflook" just to be safe?
No, adding van here sounds very unnatural in Dutch. You only use van after a measure word if you are referring to a specific, defined batch of something, such as een kilo van de knoflook die we gisteren kochten (a kilo of the garlic we bought yesterday). For general amounts, always drop the preposition.
Why is "minstens" used here instead of "tenminste"?
Both words translate to "at least", but minstens is the best choice for quantifiable amounts, numbers, or measurements like a kilo. Tenminste is usually used to mean "at any rate" or to introduce a reassuring minimum condition, like saying "Well, at least it's not raining".
Should "een" have accent marks here (één kilo)?
Not unless you specifically want to put heavy emphasis on the exact number to contrast it with two or three kilos. Written without accents as een, it translates smoothly to the English "a" in "a kilo of garlic".