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Questions & Answers about Het water is fris.
Why is het used instead of de with the word water?
In Dutch, every noun has a gender. Water is a neuter noun, so it takes the definite article het rather than de. This is a common pattern in Dutch vocabulary.
Why does the adjective fris not have any additional ending in this sentence?
When an adjective follows a linking verb, as it does in Het water is fris., it functions as a predicate adjective and remains in its base form. Adjectives only take extra endings when used attributively (that is, directly before a noun).
What is the grammatical structure of the sentence Het water is fris.?
The sentence follows the typical Dutch structure: Subject (Het water), Verb (is), and Predicate Adjective (fris). This is very similar to English, as in The water is fresh.
What tense is represented by the verb is in this sentence?
The verb is is in the present tense. It is the present tense form of the verb zijn (to be).
If I wanted to say fresh water before the noun, would fris change form?
Yes, it would. When the adjective is used attributively—placed directly before the noun—it often takes an ending. For instance, you would say het frisse water. In contrast, when the adjective comes after the verb (as in a predicate), it remains unchanged.
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