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Breakdown of De reis is heel belangrijk voor mij.
zijn
to be
heel
very
voor
for
belangrijk
important
mij
me
de reis
the trip
Questions & Answers about De reis is heel belangrijk voor mij.
Why do we use heel instead of another word like erg or zeer here?
In Dutch, heel, erg, and zeer can all mean very, though heel is more common in everyday speech. Erg often implies a greater degree of intensity, and zeer can sound more formal.
What does belangrijk literally mean?
Belangrijk literally translates to important in English. It indicates that the subject holds significant value or relevance.
Why is the sentence structured as De reis is heel belangrijk voor mij instead of saying De reis is voor mij heel belangrijk?
In Dutch, word order can be flexible. You could say De reis is voor mij heel belangrijk, but De reis is heel belangrijk voor mij is a very natural, straightforward way to emphasize that the journey itself is very important. Both orders are grammatically correct, but the provided sentence is typical in everyday usage.
Can I say Reizen is heel belangrijk voor mij instead?
Yes, you can. Reizen refers to traveling in general, while De reis refers to the journey or the trip in a more specific sense. It depends on whether you're talking about one particular trip or traveling in general.
Do I change mij to me in this sentence in any circumstance?
No. In Dutch, mij and me are both first-person object pronouns, but mij is stressed and me is unstressed. Here, voor mij places emphasis on me personally. If you wanted to use an unstressed form (though less common after voor), you'd write voor me, but voor mij is strongly preferred in standard usage.
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