Breakdown of Tijdens de jaarwisseling is dit vuurwerk twee keer zo duur als vorig jaar.
zijn
to be
twee
two
duur
expensive
dit
this (neuter)
het jaar
the year
vorig
previous / last
zo
so (to such a degree)
als
as (like / conjunction)
tijdens
during
de keer
the time (occasion)
de jaarwisseling
the turn of the year
het vuurwerk
the fireworks
Questions & Answers about Tijdens de jaarwisseling is dit vuurwerk twee keer zo duur als vorig jaar.
How does the comparison structure twee keer zo duur als work here?
This is the standard Dutch structure for multiplicative comparisons. You take the multiplier (twee keer or tweemaal, meaning "two times" or "twice"), add zo ("as"), insert your adjective (duur), and finish with als ("as"). The literal translation maps perfectly to "two times as expensive as".
Why is it dit vuurwerk (singular) when the English translation says "these fireworks" (plural)?
In Dutch, vuurwerk is an uncountable mass noun, much like "furniture" or "luggage" in English. Because it is a singular het-word, we must use the demonstrative pronoun dit. It is always grammatically singular, even when referring to a huge display of multiple fireworks.
Why does the verb is come before the subject dit vuurwerk?
What is the difference between de jaarwisseling and oud en nieuw?
Oud en nieuw (literally "old and new") is the most common, conversational way to refer to New Year's Eve and Day. De jaarwisseling (literally "the year transition" or "turn of the year") means the exact same time period but is slightly more formal or journalistic. You will frequently see it in news reports, official announcements, or written text.
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