Word
Honderden trekvogels bedekken de lucht.
Meaning
Hundreds of migratory birds cover the sky.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Breakdown of Honderden trekvogels bedekken de lucht.
de trekvogel
the migratory bird
honderden
hundreds
bedekken
to cover (with a layer)
de lucht
the sky
Questions & Answers about Honderden trekvogels bedekken de lucht.
Why is it honderden here instead of using the -tallen suffix taught in this lesson?
While most numbers require the -tallen suffix to become indefinite aggregates (like tientallen for tens or dozens), honderd and duizend are exceptions. They simply take the standard plural -en ending to form honderden (hundreds) and duizenden (thousands).
Is the word van (of) missing after honderden?
Unlike English, which says 'hundreds OF birds', Dutch places the indefinite numeric aggregate directly before the noun without a preposition. You simply write honderden trekvogels.
What is the literal translation of the compound word trekvogels?
It combines trek (migration, journey, or pull) and vogels (birds). The noun trek comes from the verb trekken, which means to pull, march, or travel, making trekvogels the exact equivalent of 'migratory birds'.
How do I know whether de lucht means 'the sky' or 'the air' here?
The Dutch word lucht means both 'air' and 'sky'. You must rely entirely on context. Since a massive flock of birds is visually blocking the view above you, 'sky' is the translation that makes the most sense in this sentence.