Breakdown of De tatoeëerder gebruikt hem graag, deze zwarte inkt.
deze
this / these
zwart
black
graag
gladly
gebruiken
to use
hem
him
de tatoeëerder
the tattoo artist
de inkt
the ink
Questions & Answers about De tatoeëerder gebruikt hem graag, deze zwarte inkt.
Why does the sentence use the pronoun hem before we even know what it refers to?
This is an example of right dislocation. In natural, conversational Dutch, speakers often use a pronoun like hem in the main clause and then tack the full noun phrase (deze zwarte inkt) onto the very end of the sentence. It functions as a clarification or a natural afterthought.
Why is the masculine pronoun hem (him) used to refer to ink?
Because inkt is a de-word (de inkt). When referring to a singular de-word as an object, you must use hem, even if it is an inanimate thing. You only use het (it) when referring to a het-word.
The English translation says 'likes to use', but there is no verb for 'liking' in the Dutch sentence. How does that work?
Dutch typically expresses 'to like doing [action]' by combining the action verb with the adverb graag (gladly or willingly). So, gebruikt ... graag literally means 'uses gladly', which is the standard Dutch way to say 'likes to use'.
Why does tatoeëerder have those dots (a trema) on the third 'e'?
The trema marks the start of a new syllable. The word is formed from the verb tatoeëren (to tattoo) plus the suffix -der (indicating the person who does it). Without the trema, the double 'e' would be read as a single long vowel sound. The dots ensure it is pronounced as ta-toe-AY-er-der.
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