Breakdown of Wij horen weleens een eeuwenoude legende.
eeuwenoud
ancient
de legende
the legend
weleens
ever / sometimes
Questions & Answers about Wij horen weleens een eeuwenoude legende.
Why is the adverb weleens placed before the direct object een eeuwenoude legende?
In the Dutch middle field, adverbs of evaluation and frequency like weleens usually come before an indefinite direct object (an object with een or no article). If the object were definite, like de eeuwenoude legende, it would typically step in front of the adverb: Wij horen de eeuwenoude legende weleens.
Could I use soms instead of weleens here?
Yes, but there is a slight difference in nuance. While soms is a neutral word for sometimes, weleens translates closer to occasionally or every now and then. It gives the sentence a slightly softer, more conversational tone.
How is the word eeuwenoude formed?
It is a compound adjective made of eeuw (century) and oud (old). Because the plural of eeuw is eeuwen, that complete plural form acts as the linking bridge in the compound word, literally meaning centuries-old. The final -e is added because it modifies a de-word (legende).
Since eeuwenoude is such a long compound, does it still follow the normal adjective ending rules?
Absolutely. No matter how long the adjective is, the standard rules apply. Because legende is a de-word, the adjective gets an -e after the indefinite article een. If it modified a het-word, like verhaal (story), it would be een eeuwenoud verhaal.
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