Word
Wij moeten een lila paraplu als relatiegeschenk bestellen.
Meaning
We must order a lilac umbrella as a promotional gift.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Breakdown of Wij moeten een lila paraplu als relatiegeschenk bestellen.
een
a/an
wij
we
bestellen
to order
moeten
to have to, must
Questions & Answers about Wij moeten een lila paraplu als relatiegeschenk bestellen.
Why is there no -e added to lila, given that paraplu is a de-word and follows een?
Lila is an adjective that ends in a vowel. Adjectives ending in a vowel sound (such as lila, roze, oranje, or loanwords like gratis) are invariable in Dutch. This means they never receive the standard -e ending, regardless of the noun's gender or the article used.
Are all color adjectives invariable like lila?
No, only those ending in a vowel. Color adjectives ending in a consonant follow the normal adjective rules and take an -e when appropriate. For example, if the umbrella were red, you would say een rode paraplu.
What exactly does the compound word relatiegeschenk mean literally?
It is made up of relatie (relationship or business connection) and geschenk (gift). It is the standard Dutch word for a corporate or promotional gift given to clients to maintain good business ties.
Why is bestellen placed at the very end of the sentence?
This is a reminder of the standard Dutch verb bracket. The conjugated modal verb moeten takes the second position in the main clause, which forces the main infinitive verb (bestellen) to the very end of the sentence.