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Questions & Answers about De straat is smal.
What is the role of De in the sentence?
De is the definite article in Dutch, equivalent to "the" in English. It signals that the noun straat is specific, and it’s used with common gender nouns.
How does De straat is smal. translate into English?
It translates to "The street is narrow." De straat means "the street", and is smal means "is narrow."
Why does the adjective smal remain unchanged after the verb is?
In Dutch, adjectives used predicatively (after a linking verb like is) do not take any additional endings. Therefore, smal stays in its base form when describing the subject.
Would the form of the adjective change if it were used before the noun instead of after the verb?
Yes, when an adjective is used attributively (directly before the noun), it usually receives an ending to agree with the noun’s gender and number. For example, "de smalle straat" uses smalle as the inflected form of smal.
What is the word order of the sentence, and how typical is it in Dutch?
The word order is Subject (De straat) – Verb (is) – Predicate Adjective (smal), which is typical for simple declarative sentences in Dutch. This is similar to the word order in English.
Are there any pronunciation tips or nuances in this sentence that learners should be aware of?
While there aren’t major pronunciation changes in this sentence, learners should note that Dutch sounds can differ from English. For instance, straat might be pronounced with a lightly rolled r, and smal has a short vowel sound. Listening to native speakers can help improve accuracy.
What are some common mistakes learners might make with this sentence?
A common mistake is to add an unnecessary ending to smal in its predicative form (for example, saying "De straat is smalle"), which is incorrect. Another frequent error is mixing up the articles by using "het" instead of "de" for a common gender noun like straat.
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