Learn Hardcore Dutch: De wasmachine is groot genoeg om kleding te wassen. - The washing machine is big enough to wash clothes.

Because machine is a common-gender (de) noun in Dutch, so the compound wasmachine (wash + machine) inherits de. Compounds take the gender of their head, which is almost always the last element. So it’s de machine → de wasmachine. The plural is de wasmachines.

Why is it groot and not grote here?

Because the adjective is used predicatively (after a linking verb like is). Predicative adjectives don’t take the -e: De wasmachine is groot. You add -e when the adjective comes before a definite noun: de grote wasmachine or het grote huis.

Where does genoeg go, and can I say genoeg groot?

With adjectives, genoeg follows the adjective: groot genoeg, oud genoeg, snel genoeg. You do not say genoeg groot.
With nouns, genoeg comes before the noun: genoeg kleding (enough clothing), genoeg geld (enough money).

What does om … te + infinitive do here, and is it required?

Om … te + infinitive expresses purpose or (in “enough/too” constructions) the result/possibility:

groot genoeg om kleding te wassen = big enough to wash clothes
te klein om een deken te wassen = too small to wash a blanket

With genoeg/te after an adjective or adverb, you normally need om … te in Standard Dutch.

Can I drop om and say “groot genoeg te wassen”?

No. After an adjective + genoeg/te, Standard Dutch uses om … te. Compare:

Correct: groot genoeg om te wassen
Incorrect: groot genoeg te wassen

Note there is another pattern without om for certain adjectives: makkelijk te lezen, moeilijk te doen. But that does not apply to genoeg.

Can I say om de kleding te wassen? What’s the difference from om kleding te wassen?

Yes.

om kleding te wassen = to wash clothing in general (generic).
om de kleding te wassen = to wash the clothing (a specific set just mentioned or understood).
You can also use a possessive: om je/jouw kleding te wassen.

What’s the difference between kleding and kleren?

kleding is an uncountable mass noun meaning “clothing.” It’s slightly more neutral/formal.
kleren is the plural “clothes,” common in everyday speech.
Both are fine here: om kleding te wassen or om kleren te wassen. Belgian Dutch may also use kledij (more formal/regionally common).

Is kledingen a correct plural?

No. Kleding has no plural. If you need a countable word, use kledingstukken (pieces of clothing) or kleren.

Do I need a reflexive pronoun with wassen?

Only when you mean washing yourself: zich wassen (to wash oneself).
For laundry, wassen is transitive without reflexive: kleding wassen, handdoeken wassen. The machine “washes” clothes; it does not wash itself.

Where does the verb go in the om … te clause, and can anything come between te and the verb?

The infinitive sits at the end of the om … te clause, and te must come immediately before the verb:

om kleding te wassen You can place other words before te, not between te and the verb:
om de kleding snel te wassen (Correct)
✗ om de kleding te snel wassen (Incorrect)

How do I negate this sentence?

Put niet before the adjective phrase:

De wasmachine is niet groot genoeg om kleding te wassen. If you need to negate something inside the om … te clause, put the negation there:
… om delicate kleding niet te wassen (not to wash delicate clothing).
But “big enough not to wash clothes” is a strange idea in practice.

Can I use voor instead of om … te?

With a noun, use voor + noun: De wasmachine is groot genoeg voor een dekbed (big enough for a duvet).
With a verb, use om … te + infinitive: … groot genoeg om een dekbed te wassen.
Don’t mix them: ✗ voor een dekbed te wassen is incorrect.

Is “De wasmachine is groot genoeg voor kleding te wassen” correct?

No. Choose either:

… groot genoeg voor kleding (noun)
… groot genoeg om kleding te wassen (verb)

How is the sentence pronounced?

Approximate guide:

wasmachine: “WAHS-ma-SHEE-nuh” (the sch here is like English “sh,” and final e is a schwa “uh”)
groot: initial g is a guttural sound (like clearing your throat), vowel like English “grow” without the w, final t pronounced
genoeg: “ghuh-NOOKH”; oe = “oo” in “food,” final g/gh is guttural
wassen: “WAH-suhn”; Dutch w is between English w and v

What if the subject of the om … te clause is different?

Use voor + noun/pronoun + om … te:

Het bad is groot genoeg voor twee mensen om in te zitten. Here the bath is the main subject, but the people are the ones sitting. In our original sentence, the washing machine is also the “washer,” so no extra voor + pronoun is needed.

Can I replace genoeg with voldoende?

Yes, with small stylistic differences:

De wasmachine is groot genoeg om kleding te wassen. (neutral)
De wasmachine is voldoende groot om kleding te wassen. (a bit more formal/technical) You can also say: De wasmachine is voldoende om kleding te wassen, though adding groot is clearer when you’re talking about size. Don’t say voldoende genoeg (redundant).

Is a comma required before om?

No. You don’t put a comma before om in this short sentence: De wasmachine is groot genoeg om kleding te wassen. You’d only consider commas in much longer sentences for readability.