Mijn neef vertelt graag over zijn dromen, zelfs al zijn ze soms erg bijzonder.

to be

Breakdown of Mijn neef vertelt graag over zijn dromen, zelfs al zijn ze soms erg bijzonder.

• zijn: his
• mijn: my
• over: about
• erg: very
• graag: gladly
• soms: sometimes
• de neef: the nephew
• bijzonder: special
• vertellen: to tell
• de droom: the dream
• zelfs al: even if
• ze: they

Questions & Answers about Mijn neef vertelt graag over zijn dromen, zelfs al zijn ze soms erg bijzonder.

What does neef mean? Does it refer to a nephew or a cousin in Dutch?

In Dutch, neef can mean both nephew and cousin. The context usually clarifies which family member it refers to. If you need to be more specific, you can say neefje for a nephew or use an additional description (e.g., mijn neef van vaders kant) to indicate a cousin.

Why is vertelt graag used here?

Graag roughly translates to with pleasure. When combined with a verb like vertellen (to tell), it indicates that someone likes doing that activity. So vertelt graag means he likes to tell or he enjoys talking about.

How do I translate zelfs al into English, and why is it used in this sentence?

Zelfs al can be translated as even if or even though. It emphasizes that, despite a condition (like the dreams being very unusual), the action or behavior still holds true. In this sentence, it shows that the nephew continues to share his stories, even though they might be quite special.

What is the function of ze in this sentence?

The word ze here is a pronoun referring back to dromen. Since dromen are plural, ze means they or them.

Why is erg used before bijzonder, and what does it add to the meaning?

Erg is an adverb that intensifies an adjective. Together with bijzonder (special or unusual), it makes the statement stronger, meaning very unusual or highly special.