Learn Hardcore Dutch: De nieuwe boekhandel in de straat is gezellig.

In modern Dutch there are effectively two “genders” (common and neuter), marked by de (common) and het (neuter). Unfortunately, there is no foolproof rule for every noun—you often have to memorize them. However, many nouns ending in -ing, -heid, -tie, -schap, -ie and -ing are de-words, and most short, Germanic compound nouns (like boekhandel) are also de-words. Over time you’ll learn patterns and exceptions.

Why does nieuwe have an -e at the end instead of just nieuw?

When an adjective precedes a noun that has a definite article (de or het), or a demonstrative (dit, die, deze), Dutch adds -e to the adjective. Since we have de nieuwe boekhandel, nieuw must take -e. If you had an indefinite noun (no article) like een nieuw boek, you’d drop the -e.

Why is it in de straat when in English we say on the street?

Dutch uses in for being located somewhere along or within a street. Think of it as “inside” the street’s boundaries. English tends to say “on the street,” but in Dutch you’ll very often hear in de straat (or in de Kerkstraat, etc.) to express “at/on that street.”

Why is gezellig placed at the end of the sentence instead of before boekhandel?

Here gezellig is a predicate adjective—part of the verb zijn (“to be”) structure—so it follows the verb: “De nieuwe boekhandel […] is gezellig.” If you wanted to use gezellig attributively before the noun, you’d say de gezellige boekhandel, with gezellig taking an -e because of de. That changes the meaning slightly: you’d be describing the bookstore itself as cozy rather than stating that it is cozy.

Can I say de gezellige nieuwe boekhandel in de straat instead?

Yes, but it shifts the nuance.

De nieuwe boekhandel in de straat is gezellig.
Emphasizes: “The new bookstore on the street is cozy.”
De gezellige nieuwe boekhandel in de straat.
Simply lists adjectives: “The cozy, new bookstore on the street.”
Both are grammatically fine; the first is a full sentence, the second a noun phrase.

Is the word order always Subject–Verb–Adjective for zijn sentences?

Standard Dutch word order for a simple statement is Subject–Verb–Object/Complement. With zijn, your complement can be an adjective: Subject (De nieuwe boekhandel) – Verb (is) – Adjective (gezellig). You can invert or front other elements (e.g., In de straat is de nieuwe boekhandel gezellig), but the verb stays in second position.

What exactly does gezellig mean? There’s no exact English equivalent.

Gezellig captures a blend of cozy, pleasant, friendly or convivial. You use it for warm atmospheres (een gezellige café), pleasant company (het was heel gezellig), or simply “nice” environments (dit is gezellig hier). Context decides the best translation: sometimes cozy, sometimes fun, sometimes sociable.