Breakdown of Jenever is namelijk een traditioneel drankje.
zijn
to be
een
a/an
het drankje
the drink
namelijk
you see / namely / because (adverb)
traditioneel
traditional
de jenever
the Dutch gin
Questions & Answers about Jenever is namelijk een traditioneel drankje.
Why use the diminutive drankje here instead of just drank?
Drank is an uncountable mass noun that generally refers to alcohol or liquor as a broad category. By adding the diminutive suffix to make drankje, it transforms into a countable noun meaning "a specific drink" or "a serving of a beverage." Since the sentence talks about jenever being a specific type of traditional drink, the countable diminutive is required.
The translation says "Because", but I don't see omdat or want. How does namelijk work here?
Namelijk translates to "because" or "you see" when it gives a reason for something just mentioned. Unlike omdat (which sends the verb to the end) or want (which acts as a coordinating conjunction), namelijk is simply an adverb. It usually sits right after the finite verb and doesn't force you to change the sentence structure.
Why is the adjective traditioneel instead of traditionele?
All diminutive words in Dutch (like drankje) are neuter het nouns. When a singular het noun follows the indefinite article een, the adjective before it drops the standard -e ending.
Can I use jenever to talk about the gin in my gin and tonic?
Usually not. Jenever refers specifically to the traditional malt-based Dutch and Belgian spirit from which English gin evolved. If you are talking about the clear, modern style of international gin, the Dutch simply use the English loanword gin.
Learn Jenever is namelijk een traditioneel drankje and more in Dutch
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free