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Questions & Answers about Blijkbaar vinden de spelers de oefenzaal erg prettig.
What does Blijkbaar mean and why is it placed at the beginning of the sentence?
Blijkbaar is an adverb meaning “apparently” or “evidently.” When you start a main clause with an adverbial like Blijkbaar, it occupies the first position, and Dutch’s V2 rule forces the finite verb into the second slot.
Why is the word order Blijkbaar vinden de spelers instead of Blijkbaar de spelers vinden?
Dutch is a V2 (verb-second) language. With Blijkbaar in position one, the finite verb vinden must come immediately after it (position two), so the subject de spelers follows the verb.
What is the role of de in de spelers?
de is the definite article used for all plural nouns (and for common-gender singulars). Here it makes spelers (“players”) definite: “the players.”
How is the word oefenzaal constructed and what does it mean?
oefenzaal is a compound of oefen (from oefenen, “to practice”) + zaal (“hall” or “room”). Literally “practice hall,” in English you’d say “practice room” or “training hall.”
What does erg prettig mean, and could I use heel prettig instead?
erg prettig means “very pleasant.” You can indeed say heel prettig—both erg and heel intensify an adjective to “very,” though erg can feel a bit stronger or more colloquial.
Why do we use vinden + adjective like in vinden … prettig?
In Dutch, vinden (“to find”) can be followed by an adjective to express an opinion or feeling: “to find something [adjective].” It parallels English “I find this room pleasant.”
What happens if I omit erg and say vinden de spelers de oefenzaal prettig?
Leaving out erg still works: “the players find the practice hall pleasant.” You simply lose the extra emphasis “very.”
Could I use a synonym for prettig, such as plezierig or comfortabel?
Yes. comfortabel focuses on physical comfort (“comfortable”), while plezierig (“enjoyable”) is less common here. prettig is the most natural for “pleasant” in general.