Word
De stoel is fel rood.
Meaning
The chair is bright red.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Lesson
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Dutch grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about De stoel is fel rood.
What does fel mean in the sentence De stoel is fel rood?
Fel translates to “bright” or “intensely” in English. It serves as an intensifier for rood, indicating that the red is especially vivid or striking.
Why are there two words, fel and rood, instead of just using rood alone?
Using both words emphasizes a particular quality: fel intensifies the color rood. It’s similar to saying “bright red” in English, where the additional word specifies that the red is especially vivid.
Why is the adjective phrase fel rood placed after the verb is in this sentence?
When adjectives follow a linking verb like is, they function as predicative adjectives. They describe the subject (in this case, de stoel) without needing the additional inflection that adjectives might take when used directly before a noun.
What is the role of the definite article de in this sentence?
De is the Dutch definite article equivalent to “the” in English. It is used with stoel because stoel is a common gender noun in Dutch, which typically pairs with de.
Do adjectives in Dutch change their form when used after a linking verb compared to when they’re used before a noun?
No, adjectives used after a linking verb remain in their base form. In the sentence De stoel is fel rood, the adjectives don’t take on additional endings, a change that might occur when adjectives are placed directly before a noun as attributive adjectives.