De film is nogal spannend.

Breakdown of De film is nogal spannend.

zijn
to be
de film
the film
nogal
rather
spannend
exciting
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Questions & Answers about De film is nogal spannend.

What does the word nogal mean, and what role does it play in this sentence?
Nogal is an adverb used to modify adjectives in Dutch. In this sentence, it means quite or rather, indicating that the film has a moderate level of excitement without being extremely thrilling.
How is the adjective spannend interpreted here? Does it translate best as "exciting" or "thrilling"?
The adjective spannend is generally translated as exciting or thrilling. In the context of this sentence, it suggests that the film is engaging, holding some suspense or interest for the viewer.
Why is the definite article de used with film in this sentence?
In Dutch, the noun film is of the common gender, which takes the definite article de rather than het. Therefore, De film simply means the movie, following regular Dutch gender rules.
Can you break down the sentence structure of De film is nogal spannend?
Certainly. The sentence follows a standard Dutch pattern: De film is the subject, is serves as the linking verb, and nogal spannend forms the predicate. Here, nogal is an adverb modifying the adjective spannend to fine-tune the description of the film.
How does nogal compare to other intensifiers like heel or erg in terms of expressing intensity?
While nogal conveys a moderate degree of intensity—implying that something is quite or rather as described—intensifiers like heel or erg express a much stronger degree of intensity, equivalent to very or extremely. Using nogal suggests that the film is noticeably exciting, but not overwhelmingly so.