Breakdown of Drie vierde van de kinderen smult van de soep in de kom.
het kind
the child
drie
three
in
in
de soep
the soup
Questions & Answers about Drie vierde van de kinderen smult van de soep in de kom.
Why is it drie vierde instead of a plural form like "three quarters" in English?
In standard Dutch, the denominator (the bottom number) in a fraction does not usually get a plural ending. Even though there are three of them, you just use the singular ordinal number vierde, not vierdes or vierden.
How exactly is the fraction drie vierde formed?
Just like in English, you derive a fraction by combining a cardinal number (the regular number, like drie for "three") with an ordinal number (the ranking number, like vierde for "fourth").
Wait, de kinderen is plural! Why is the verb singular (smult)?
When a fraction is followed by van and a plural noun, the verb can actually be singular or plural! Using the singular smult treats the "three-quarters" as one collective chunk. If you used the plural smullen, it would emphasize the individual children. Both are grammatically correct.
Why do we use the word van before de soep?
It is a fixed preposition tied to the verb. To say you are feasting on, or really enjoying a meal, Dutch uses the combination smullen van.