Breakdown of Mijn keel is kriebelig en de pijn is lastig te negeren.
zijn
to be
en
and
mijn
my
de pijn
the pain
te
to (infinitive marker)
lastig
tricky / difficult (troublesome)
negeren
to ignore
de keel
the throat
kriebelig
tickly / itchy
Questions & Answers about Mijn keel is kriebelig en de pijn is lastig te negeren.
The lesson is about the suffix -erig, but this sentence uses kriebelig. Why not kriebelerig?
The base word here is the noun de kriebel (the tickle) or the verb kriebelen. When a base word already ends in an unaccented syllable like -el, -en, or -er, Dutch typically just adds -ig instead of -erig to avoid a clumsy string of weak sounds. So you get kriebelig (tickly) instead of kriebelerig.
Why do we use lastig te negeren instead of lastig om te negeren?
Both are correct! However, when you combine an adjective like lastig, makkelijk, or moeilijk directly with an infinitive to say how hard or easy an action is, the om is usually dropped. Lastig te negeren flows perfectly and sounds very natural.
Is there a difference between using lastig and moeilijk in this context?
They are very similar, but have a slight difference in nuance. Moeilijk typically means something is intellectually or physically difficult. Lastig implies that something is bothersome, troublesome, or annoying. Since the pain is a persistent nuisance, lastig is a great fit.
I see de pijn means the pain. How would I say I have a sore throat if the tickle gets worse?
You would say ik heb keelpijn (I have throat pain). Instead of using an adjective like sore, Dutch frequently combines the body part directly with pijn to describe aches, just like with hoofdpijn (headache) or buikpijn (stomach ache).
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