Breakdown of Ze eet de spruit niet en ze lust de aubergine evenmin.
en
and
niet
not
eten
to eat
ze
they; she (unstressed form of zij) / them (object)
lusten
to like (the taste of)
evenmin
nor / neither (also not)
de spruit
Brussels sprout
de aubergine
eggplant / aubergine
Questions & Answers about Ze eet de spruit niet en ze lust de aubergine evenmin.
Why is evenmin placed at the very end of the sentence?
Evenmin functions as a negating adverb here, meaning "neither" or "not either" (essentially replacing ook niet). Just like the word niet, it is placed at the end of the clause because it negates the entire action of the verb lust (liking the eggplant).
Would it be correct to say niet evenmin?
No, because evenmin is already inherently negative. It combines the ideas of "equally" (even) and "less/minus" (min). Adding niet would create an incorrect double negative in Dutch.
What is the exact difference between eet and lust here?
Eten refers to the physical act of eating, while lusten specifically means to like the taste of a food or drink. The sentence contrasts the fact that she simply won't eat the sprout with the fact that she actively dislikes the taste of the eggplant.
Could we change the word order and put evenmin at the start of the second clause?
Yes, but moving it to the front triggers inversion because it acts as an adverbial conjunction. The second clause would then become en evenmin lust ze de aubergine.
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