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Breakdown of Onze vriendin is heel vriendelijk.
zijn
to be
heel
very
onze
our
de vriendin
the (female) friend
vriendelijk
friendly
Questions & Answers about Onze vriendin is heel vriendelijk.
Why do we use onze vriendin instead of ons vriendin?
In Dutch, nouns that take the article de use onze as the possessive form, and nouns that take the article het use ons. Since vriendin is a de noun, you say onze vriendin.
Why is vriendin used here instead of vriend?
Vriendin refers specifically to a female friend, while vriend refers to a male friend. If you want to emphasize a female friend in Dutch, you use vriendin.
Does heel mean very, and can we replace it with erg?
Yes, heel here means very. You could also use erg, which similarly means very or really, but heel is a very common choice in everyday language. So, onze vriendin is erg vriendelijk would also be correct.
Is vriendelijk the same as aardig?
They are close in meaning—both can translate to friendly or kind in English. Vriendelijk often conveys general kindness or a pleasant disposition, whereas aardig also means kind or nice, but can emphasize warmth or niceness in direct social interactions. Both are natural choices in most contexts.
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