Breakdown of Deze etherische olie in de verdamper maakt dat de kamer verfrissend ruikt.
in
in
maken
to make
de kamer
the room
deze
this / these
dat
that (conjunction)
ruiken
to smell
de olie
the oil
etherisch
essential (oil)
de verdamper
diffuser
verfrissend
refreshing
Questions & Answers about Deze etherische olie in de verdamper maakt dat de kamer verfrissend ruikt.
Why is the verb ruikt at the very end of the sentence?
The phrase maakt dat (causes or makes it so that) introduces a subordinate clause starting with dat. In Dutch subordinate clauses, the conjugated verb is pushed to the end, which is why ruikt comes after verfrissend.
Can I translate 'makes the room smell' literally as maakt de kamer ruiken?
No, Dutch generally does not use the 'make + object + infinitive verb' construction for causing an action. Instead, you must use maakt dat followed by a full subordinate clause. You are literally saying 'causes that the room smells refreshing'.
Why is it called etherische olie instead of translating 'essential' directly?
While essentiële olie is sometimes used today due to English influence, the traditional and most natural Dutch term is etherische olie (ethereal oil). It refers to the volatile nature of the oil, meaning it evaporates easily into the air.
How is the word verdamper formed?
It is derived from the noun damp (vapor or steam). Adding the prefix ver- creates the verb verdampen (to evaporate). Finally, adding -er turns it into the noun for the device that does the action: a diffuser or vaporizer.
Why is it verfrissend and not verfrissende?
In this sentence, verfrissend (refreshing) acts as an adverb modifying the verb ruikt, describing how the room smells. Because it functions as an adverb rather than an adjective placed directly in front of a noun, it does not get an -e ending.
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