Learn Hardcore Dutch: Een gemiddeld kaartje kost tien euro, maar vandaag krijgen we korting. - An average ticket costs ten euros, but today we get a discount.

Dutch has two grammatical genders: common (de-words) and neuter (het-words). Diminutives like kaartje are always neuter. In attributive position, adjectives normally get -e when the noun is definite (de/het) or when it’s a common-gender noun after een. But with a neuter singular noun preceded by een, the adjective remains in its base form—hence gemiddeld kaartje, not gemiddelde kaartje.

Why is kaartje used instead of kaart?

kaart can mean map or card, whereas kaartje is the diminutive and typically means “ticket.” In Dutch you almost always use -je for public-transport tickets, movie tickets, concert tickets, etc. The diminutive also softens the tone and is simply the normal word for a small slip of paper that you buy to board something.

Why do we say tien euro instead of tien euro’s?

After a numeral, the currency name stays in the singular. It’s treated like a measure word: tien euro, vijf kilo, drie liter. You only add a plural ending (euro’s) if you’re talking about the coins or bills themselves (e.g. “de tien euro’s zijn nieuw”), not when you quote a price.

Why can korting appear without een in krijgen we korting?

Here korting is used as a mass/abstract noun (discount in general), so the indefinite article is dropped. Dutch commonly omits een before uncountable concepts: we hebben dorst, we krijgen korting. You could say we krijgen een korting, but that sounds more like you’re emphasizing one specific discount voucher.

Why is the word order maar vandaag krijgen we korting (with the verb before the subject)?

Dutch main clauses follow the V2 rule: the finite verb must be in second position. In the clause “maar vandaag krijgen we korting,” the first constituent is maar vandaag (conjunction + time adverbial), so the verb krijgen comes second, then the subject we, then the object korting. You could also say maar we krijgen vandaag korting, which makes we the first element and vandaag come after krijgen.

Why is krijgen in the present tense here instead of past tense?

The present tense in Dutch can describe current arrangements or events that apply today. “Vandaag krijgen we korting” means “today we get a discount.” If the action were completed in the past you’d say gisteren kregen we korting (“yesterday we got a discount”).

What role does maar play in this sentence?

maar is a coordinating conjunction meaning but. It links two independent clauses and introduces a contrast: the average price is ten euros, but today we get a discount.

Can I omit the comma before maar?

In Dutch the comma before coordinating conjunctions like maar is optional. It often helps readability, but you could write:
Een gemiddeld kaartje kost tien euro maar vandaag krijgen we korting.