Breakdown of Zit nogal tegen vandaag.
vandaag
today
nogal
quite / rather (considerably, more than average)
tegenzitten
to go wrong / to be disappointing (to experience a setback or bad luck)
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Questions & Answers about Zit nogal tegen vandaag.
Why does this sentence start with the verb Zit instead of a subject?
In casual spoken Dutch, it is very common to drop an unstressed subject or object if it is at the very beginning of a main clause. Because the subject is omitted here, the sentence starts directly with the conjugated verb, making it look structurally like a yes/no question even though it is a statement.
What specific word was dropped from the beginning of this sentence?
The dummy subject Het was omitted. The complete, grammatically standard sentence would be Het zit nogal tegen vandaag. You will often hear native speakers drop Het, Dat, or Ik when they are at the start of a sentence and easily understood from the context.
How do the words zit and tegen combine to mean things are going wrong?
The separable verb used here is tegenzitten, which literally translates as to sit against. In Dutch, if something zit tegen, it means it is causing trouble, not going according to plan, or just generally being a hassle. You use it for bad luck or days when nothing seems to work out.
Does nogal mean very or a little in this context?
Nogal translates to quite, rather, or pretty. Saying things are going nogal tegen softens the complaint slightly compared to calling it a complete disaster. This slightly understated tone fits perfectly with the casual, clipped nature of the dropped subject.