Word
Schoenen die te strak zitten, zijn ongemakkelijk.
Meaning
Shoes that are too tight are uncomfortable.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Breakdown of Schoenen die te strak zitten, zijn ongemakkelijk.
zijn
to be
te
too
de schoen
the shoe
die
who / that (relative pronoun)
Questions & Answers about Schoenen die te strak zitten, zijn ongemakkelijk.
Why is there a comma after zitten, but not before die?
The clause die te strak zitten is a restrictive relative clause (beperkende relatieve bijzin). It tells us exactly which shoes are uncomfortable. Because it is essential to the meaning of schoenen, we don't put a comma before die. The comma after zitten is just there to separate the verb of the relative clause (zitten) from the verb of the main clause (zijn), making the sentence easier to read.
What would happen if we put a comma before the relative clause: Schoenen, die te strak zitten, zijn ongemakkelijk.?
Adding a comma before die would turn it into a non-restrictive clause (uitbreidende relatieve bijzin). This would change the meaning to: 'Shoes, which happen to be too tight, are uncomfortable.' This grammatically implies that all shoes are too tight! Leaving out the first comma correctly restricts the subject to only apply to tight shoes.
Why do we use the verb zitten here instead of zijn to mean 'are'?
In Dutch, the verb zitten (literally 'to sit') is used to describe how clothes, shoes, or accessories fit on your body. While a Dutch speaker would understand Schoenen die te strak zijn, using zitten is the standard, natural way to talk about the fit of clothing.
Why is the main verb zijn placed immediately after zitten?