De jongens eten gretig vier vijfde van de pizza op.
The boys eagerly eat up four-fifths of the pizza.
Breakdown of De jongens eten gretig vier vijfde van de pizza op.
de jongen
the boy
vier
four
vijfde
fifth (5th)
de pizza
the pizza
Questions & Answers about De jongens eten gretig vier vijfde van de pizza op.
In English we say 'four-fifths' with a plural 's'. Why doesn't vier vijfde have a plural ending like vier vijfden?
In Dutch, fractions formed with a cardinal number (like vier) and an ordinal number (like vijfde) do not get a plural ending. Even though there is more than one 'fifth', the word for the fraction itself remains in its singular form: vier vijfde.
Are fractions like vier vijfde always written as two separate words?
Yes. When writing out fractions in Dutch, the numerator (the regular number, vier) and the denominator (the ordinal number, vijfde) are written as two separate words.
Why is op placed at the very end of the sentence?
The verb used here is opeten (to eat up), which is a separable verb. In a standard main clause, the conjugated part (eten) takes the second position, while the separable prefix (op) is kicked to the very end of the clause.
Why does the adverb gretig (eagerly) come before the direct object (vier vijfde van de pizza)?
In Dutch, adverbs of manner—which describe how an action is performed—typically come before the direct object. This is especially true when the direct object is a long, specific phrase rather than a simple pronoun.