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Questions & Answers about De ander is vriendelijk.
What is the grammatical role of de ander in the sentence?
De ander functions as the subject. It is a noun phrase meaning the other (one), referring to a particular person or thing in a context where a choice or comparison has been made.
Why is the definite article de used with ander instead of het?
In Dutch, most nouns—the ones belonging to the common gender—take the definite article de. When ander is used as a noun to mean the other (person), it follows this rule and therefore is preceded by de rather than het.
Why is the adjective vriendelijk not modified or inflected in this sentence?
In Dutch, adjectives that appear after a linking verb (like is) and function as predicate adjectives are not declined. Thus, vriendelijk remains in its base form, much like adjectives after linking verbs in English.
How does the sentence structure of De ander is vriendelijk. compare to its English equivalent?
The structure is quite similar. Both Dutch and English use a Subject–Verb–Predicate Adjective order here. De ander is the subject, is is the linking verb, and vriendelijk serves as the predicate adjective, just as in the English sentence The other is friendly.
Can ander be used as both a noun and an adjective, and how do you tell the difference?
Yes, ander can function as both. In the sentence De ander is vriendelijk., it is a noun meaning the other (one). When used as an adjective, it typically comes directly before a noun (as in een andere keuze meaning another choice). The role it plays is clear from its position and context in the sentence.
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