Learn Hardcore Dutch: De bank in de woonkamer is heel zacht, maar het kussen daarop is een beetje te dik. - The couch in the living room is very soft, but the pillow on it is a bit too thick.

In this context, bank refers to a couch or sofa (especially given the setting "in de woonkamer"), whereas kussen means a cushion. Although "bank" can sometimes mean a financial institution in Dutch, the context clearly indicates it is a piece of furniture.

Why is the cushion described with the term daarop, and what does it signify?

The term daarop is a pronominal adverb formed by combining op (meaning "on") with daar (meaning "there"), so it translates to "on it." It refers back to the bank without having to repeat "de bank" again, thus indicating that the cushion is placed on the bank.

Why does the sentence use the articles de and het for bank and kussen respectively?

In Dutch, nouns have grammatical genders. Bank is a common gender noun, so it takes the article de, while kussen is a neuter noun, which takes the article het. This gender distinction affects which definite article is used.

What do the modifiers heel and een beetje convey about the qualities of the bank and the cushion?

The modifier heel means "very," intensifying the adjective zacht (soft), which tells us the bank is very soft. In contrast, een beetje means "a bit" or "slightly," and it softens the adjective phrase te dik (too thick), indicating that the cushion is a bit excessively thick rather than overwhelmingly so.

How does the conjunction maar function in this sentence?

The conjunction maar means "but" in Dutch. It is used here to introduce a contrast between the two parts of the sentence: while the bank is very soft, the cushion on it is somewhat too thick. This juxtaposition highlights a difference in the comfort or suitability between the two items.