Dutch Conversation-Grammar 1732 Studios

Dutch · Unit 11

Lessons 40 to 42

Use of the Parts of Speech, and Word-Formation

De poppenkast; De poppenkast (vervolg); De poppenkast (vervolg)

1,316 lines

Lesson 40: Nouns formed by vowel-change

Nouns built on verb roots

The root of a verb is its core, before any ending. Many Dutch nouns have the same form as the root of a strong verb, usually with a different vowel.

Zingen is to sing, and de zang is a song. Springen is to jump, and de sprong is a leap. Binden is to tie, and de band is a tie.

The book groups these verbs in six classes. Each entry names the verb first, then the nouns built on it.

Some of these old nouns now occur only inside derived or compound words.

Nouns formed by vowel-change

vliegen: de vlieg fly, de vleugel wing, de vlucht volley; vlieten: de vliet rill, het vlot raft, de vloot fleet.

VI. Class. Dragen: de dracht load, costume; graven: de gracht canal, de groeve furrow; malen: de mol mole, het meel meal, de molm mould, de mul dust; varen: de vaart canal, het veer ferry, het voer cart-load.

  1. 1

    bail

    dethe
    borgbail
  2. 2

    drink

  3. 3

    find

  4. 4

    birth

  5. 5

    coming

Nouns formed by vowel-change

Many nouns are root-words: they have the same form as the root of the corresponding strong verb, generally with a vowel-change. Some of these original root-words now occur in derivations and compositions only, as will be seen in the following examples.

I. Class. Bergen: de borg bail, de burg or de burcht castle; bersten: de barst burst; binden: de band tie, de bende troop, de bond confederation, de bundel bundle; dringen: het gedrang crowd; drinken: de drank drink, de dronk draught; dwingen: de dwang force; gelden: het goud gold; helpen: de hulp help; klinken: de klank sound, de klink latch; krimpen: de kramp cramp; springen: de sprong leap; vinden: de vond or de vondst find; werpen: de worp throw; zingen: de zang song.

II. Class. Beren: de baar wave, bier, ingot, het gebaar gesture, de beer buttress, de berrie barrow, de beurt turn, de geboorte birth; breken: de brok piece, de breuk fraction, het gebrek fault; helen: de halm blade, de helm casque, de hel hell, de hol cave, het heul aid; komen: de komst coming; spreken: de spraak speech, het sprookje tale, de spreuk saying, het gesprek conversation; steken: de staak stake, de stok stick, het stuk piece, de stekel sting; wreken: de wraak revenge, de wrok grudge.

III. Class. Bidden: de bede request, het gebed prayer; geven: de gaaf or de gave gift, de gift donation or het gift poison; liggen: de laag layer, het gelag share, het leger army; meten: de maat measure, van meet af from the beginning; wegen: de waag balance, het gewicht weight; weven: de wafel wafer; zitten: de landzaat native, de zet move, de zetel seat.

IV. Class. Bijten: de bijt gap made in the ice, de beitel chisel, de beet bite, het gebit set of teeth; blijken: het blijk token, de blik glance; grijpen: de greep handle; knijpen: de knip cut, de kneep pinch; krijten: de kreet cry; lijden: het leed grief; rijden: de rit drive; rijgen: de rij row, de rei chorus, de regel rule, de reeks series; rijten: de reet split; schrijden: de schrede step; slijpen: de slip skirt, de sleep train; snijden: de snit cut, de snede slice, edge; splijten: het split slit, de spleet split; stijgen: de steiger scaffolding, de steeg lane; strijken: de streek line, region.

V. Class. Bedriegen: het bedrog deception, het gedrocht monster, de drogreden sophism; bieden: het bod offer, de bode messenger, het gebod commandment; buigen: de boog bow, de bocht turning, de beugel ring; genieten: het genot enjoyment, de genoot fellow; liegen: de logen or de leugen lie; ruiken: de reuk smell; schieten: het schot shot, de schoot lap, de scheut shoot; sluiten: het slot castle, lock, de sloot ditch, de sleutel key; stuiven: het stof dust; tien (obsolete): het tuig tackle, de getuige witness, de tocht expedition, draught, de toom bridle, de teug draught, de teugel rein, de tucht discipline; (ver)liezen: het verlies loss, de leus device, te loor gaan to be lost, te leur stellen to disappoint; vliegen: de vlieg fly, de vleugel wing, de vlucht volley; vlieten: de vliet rill, het vlot raft, de vloot fleet.

VI. Class. Dragen: de dracht load, costume; graven: de gracht canal, de groeve furrow; malen: de mol mole, het meel meal, de molm mould, de mul dust; varen: de vaart canal, het veer ferry, het voer cart-load.

A few from the list
de borg              bail
de burg              castle
de burcht            castle
de barst             burst
de band              tie
de bende             troop
de bond              confederation
de bundel            bundle
het gedrang          crowd
de drank             drink
The noun-forming suffixes

The suffixes, by means of which nouns have been formed, are: aar, de (te), e, egge (ei), el, em, en, er, ig, ik, in, ing, nis, s (es, is), sel, sem, st, ster; the diminutives: el, elijn, je (pje, tje), ken; the foreign suffixes: aan, age, eel, es, ier, iet, ist, ij.
The suffix -aar

Derivatives in -aar denote persons, animals and things; sometimes n has been inserted between the root and the suffix.

De redenaar orator, de leraar teacher, de overwinnaar conqueror; de Egyptenaar Egyptian, de Parijzenaar Parisian; de geweldenaar usurper, de kunstenaar artist, de weduwnaar widower; de duikelaar diver, de lepelaar spoonbill, de rammelaar buck-rabbit; de appelaar apple-tree, de hazelaar hazelnut-tree, de rozelaar rose-tree; de boezelaar apron, de evenaar equator, de lessenaar desk.

A few from the list
de redenaar          orator
de leraar            teacher
de overwinnaar       conqueror
de Egyptenaar        Egyptian
de Parijzenaar       Parisian
de geweldenaar       usurper
de kunstenaar        artist
de weduwnaar         widower
de duikelaar         diver
de lepelaar          spoonbill
The suffix -aar weakened to -er

After an accented syllable the suffix -aar has been weakened to -er; sometimes d is inserted, especially after r.

De bakker baker, de jager hunter, de vertaler translator; de doper baptizer, de visser fisher, de zanger singer; de diender policeman, de hoorder hearer, de verhuurder landlord; de Nederlander Dutchman, de Oostenrijker Austrian, de Zwitser Swiss; de doffer male pigeon, de kater tom-cat; de boender scrubbing-brush, de gieter watering-can, de passer pair of compasses.

A few from the list
de bakker            baker
de jager             hunter
de vertaler          translator
de doper             baptizer
de visser            fisher
de zanger            singer
de diender           policeman
de hoorder           hearer
de verhuurder        landlord
de Nederlander       Dutchman
The suffixes -e, -de, -te

The suffix -e occurs in a few words only, as in all other derivatives -de (generally changed into -te) has been used to form nouns from adjectives.

De koude cold, de zonde sin; de liefde love, de breedte breadth, de diepte depth, de hoogte height, de lengte length, de vlakte plain; de groente greens, vegetables.
The suffixes -egge, -ster, -in, -es forming feminines

The suffixes -egge (-ei), -ster, -in, -s (-es, -is) form names of females from names of male persons (animals).

De dievegge thief, de klappei or de labbei gossip, de bedelaarster beggar-woman, de schrijfster author, de tuinierster gardener's wife, de koningin queen, de godin or de godes goddess, de leeuwin lioness, de wolvin she-wolf, de dienares servant, de kunstenares artist; cf.: de zangeres = singer (artist) and de zangster = muse or female singer, songstress.

Remark. The ending -es (-is) has been added also to words of foreign origin.

Abdis abbess, prinses princess, profetes prophetess.

A few from the list
de dievegge          thief
de klappei           gossip
de labbei            gossip
de bedelaarster      beggar-woman
de schrijfster       author
de tuinierster       gardener's wife
de koningin          queen
de godin             goddess
de godes             goddess
de leeuwin           lioness
Words in -em, -sem, -en denoting things

All words ending in -em or the compound suffix -sem and nearly all words ending in -en are names of things.

De adem breath, de bezem broom, de bloesem blossom, de bodem bottom, de deesem leaven, de wasem vapour; de leugen lie, de reden reason, de vasten lent; also de lijfeigene serf.
The suffix -ing, -ling, -eling

The suffix -ing (seldom -ig) originally denotes origin of persons, afterwards it was also used to form names of animals and things. As the final l of such words as end in l was considered part of the ending, a new suffix -ling or -eling proceeded from -ing. With names of persons derived from adjectives by means of -eling, el has a diminutive meaning and then generally expresses contempt. Contempt is also connected with some words derived from verbs, although generally denoting persons doing or suffering the action expressed by the verb.

De Karoling (from Carolus) Carolingian, de Meroving (from Meroveus) Merovingian, de Vlaming Fleming, de koning king, de hemeling inhabitant of heaven, de bokking red herring, de haring herring, de honing honey; de dorpeling villager, de kloosterling monk, nun, de lieveling darling; de duisterling obscurant, de stommeling stupid person, de woesteling wild man; de drenkeling drowned or drowning person, de huurling hireling, de kweekeling pupil, de smeekeling supplicant, de zwerveling wanderer.

Remark 1. Names of things ending in -ing or -eling denote origin or have a diminutive sense.

De ketting chain, de krakeling cracknel, de penning medal or farthing, de vliering garret, de zilverling silverling, de zuring sorrel.

Remark 2. A few nouns in -ling are formed from numerals; they have a collective meaning.

De tweeling twin, de drieling one of three children at a birth etc.

A few from the list
de Karoling          Carolingian
de Meroving          Merovingian
de Vlaming           Fleming
de koning            king
de hemeling          inhabitant of heaven
de bokking           red herring
de haring            herring
de honing            honey
de dorpeling         villager
de kloosterling      monk, nun
The suffixes -ing, -st forming feminine verbal nouns

By means of the suffixes -ing or -st feminine substantives are formed from verbs.

De belegering siege, de kleding dress, de wandeling walk; de kunst art, de vangst catch, de winst gain.
The suffixes -ik, -erik

The names formed by -ik, -erik have a derisive or contemptuous meaning.

De botterik or de stommerik blockhead, de vuilik or de viezerik a filthy person.

Older written Dutch, and the proper names Diederik and Hendrik, still show a suffix -rik that meant lord, ruler, and that no longer forms new words; it is also found in names of animals and plants: de ganzerik gander, de draverik tare.
The suffix -nis

The suffix -nis is placed after verbs and adjectives.

De beeltenis image, de vergiffenis pardon, het vuilnis dirt.
The suffixes -el, -sel for tools and products

The suffix -el and the compound suffix -sel are put after verbal roots to denote: tools or instruments and products.

De sleutel key, de teugel bridle, de vleugel wing; het deksel cover, het schoeisel boots, de stijfsel starch, het baksel baking, het schepsel creature, het zaagsel saw-dust.

A few Dutch words, for instance het houweel pick-axe and het toneel scene, have taken -eel instead of -el through the influence of words borrowed from the French language, as: het kasteel castle etc.
Diminutives with -je

Diminutives, which are much used in Dutch, are generally formed by the suffix -je: boek book, boekje; huis house, huisje; kat cat, katje.

If the noun has a long vowel, occurring in the plural only, which has become short in the singular, the diminutive generally has the long vowel: pad path, paadje; slot castle or lock, slootje; tred step, treedje.

Final ng in an unaccented syllable becomes nk: koning king, koninkje; woning dwelling, woninkje; but if the syllable ending in ng is not entirely unaccented -etje is added: verzameling collection, verzamelingetje; wandeling walk, wandelingetje.

This ending is also used if the word has a short vowel with final l, n or r: bal ball, balletje; kam comb, kammetje; kan jug, kannetje; kar cart, karretje. Also after final g: big (or bigge) young pig, biggetje (or bigje). If such letters are preceded by a long vowel e is dropped: paal stake, paaltje; schaar pair of scissors, schaartje. This ending (-tje) must also be used after words ending in a vowel or in w: mama mamma, mamaatje; knie knee, knietje; mouw sleeve, mouwtje; vrouw woman, vrouwtje.

After m the suffix -pje must be used instead of -tje: boom tree, boompje; raam window, raampje.

The suffixes -el and -elijn no longer form diminutives; -ke and -kie survive as a regional, mostly southern, alternative to -je, and the guttural-inserted -kje seen in penninkje.

Some words are contracted in their diminutive form: broeder brother, broertje; meid girl, meisje; moeder mother, moertje or moedertje; vader father, vaartje or vadertje; weder weather, weertje; zuster sister, zusje.

A few from the list
het boekje           little book
het huisje           little house
het katje            kitten
het paadje           little path
het slootje          little lock
het treedje          little step
het koninkje         little king
het woninkje         little dwelling
het verzamelingetje  little collection
het wandelingetje    little walk
Foreign suffixes borrowed for persons

Some suffixes have been borrowed from foreign languages and added to Dutch words; such are: -aan, -ier or -enier, -iet, -ist or -enist.

De bloemist florist, de drogist chemist, de herbergier innkeeper, de hovenier or de tuinier gardener, de klokkenist chimer, de kruidenier grocer. Also de Amerikaan American, de Arabier Arab, de Aziër or de Aziaat Asiatic, de Batavier Batavian, de Europeaan European, de Indiaan Indian, de Lutheraan Lutherian, de Darwinist, de Germanist, de Romanist.

A few from the list
de bloemist          florist
de drogist           chemist
de herbergier        innkeeper
de hovenier          gardener
de tuinier           gardener
de klokkenist        chimer
de kruidenier        grocer
de Amerikaan         American
de Arabier           Arab
de Aziër             Asiatic
The foreign suffix -age

The foreign suffix -age may be added to substantives with a collective meaning: bosschage grove, pakkage baggage; also to verbal roots: lekkage leakage, stellage scaffolding, vrijage courtship.
Words in -ij, -erij, -ernij

Words ending in -ij, -erij or -ernij are derived: From names of persons: de bakker baker, de bakkerij bake-house. De bedelaar beggar, de bedelarij beggary, begging. De bedrieger impostor, de bedriegerij imposture. De burger citizen, de burgerij citizens. De dief thief, de dieverij theft, robbery. Het heerschap master, de heerschappij dominion. De huichelaar hypocrite, de huichelarij hypocrisy. Het maatschap partnership, de maatschappij society. De rijmelaar paltry rhymer, de rijmelarij doggerel. De ruiter horseman, de ruiterij cavalry. De schelm rogue, de schelmerij roguery. De schilder painter, het schilderij picture, painting. De voogd guardian, de voogdij or het voogdijschap guardianship.

From names of things: het boek book, de boekerij library. Het kleed dress, de kledij clothes, toilet. De koopvaart commercial navigation, de koopvaardij. Cf. also: de hovaardij pride, de lekkernij dainty.

A few from the list
de bakkerij          bake-house
de bedelarij         beggary, begging
de bedriegerij       imposture
de burgerij          citizens
de dieverij          theft, robbery
de heerschappij      dominion
de huichelarij       hypocrisy
de maatschappij      society
de rijmelarij        doggerel
de ruiterij          cavalry
The foreign suffixes -et, -ment, -teit

The foreign suffixes -et, -ment and -teit occur in very few words only.

Het dreigement threat, de flauwiteit silliness, de helmet helmet.
  1. 6

    revenge

  2. 7

    share

  3. 8

    seat

  4. 9

    pinch

  5. 10

    step

  1. 11

    line, region

  2. 12

    ring

  3. 13

    castle, lock

  4. 14

    rein

Lesson 40: The suffix -aar

Nouns in aar

The suffix aar makes nouns for persons, animals and things. De leraar is a teacher. De redenaar is an orator. De Parijzenaar is a Parisian.

Sometimes an n comes between the root and the ending. De kunstenaar is an artist. De Egyptenaar is an Egyptian.

Animals, trees and objects take it too. De lepelaar is a spoonbill. De appelaar is an apple tree. De lessenaar is a desk.

A few from the list

  1. 15

    orator

  2. 16

    teacher

  3. 17

    conqueror

  4. 18

    Egyptian

  5. 19

    Parisian

  1. 20

    usurper

  2. 21

    artist

  3. 22

    widower

  4. 23

    diver

  5. 24

    spoonbill

  1. 25

    buck-rabbit

  2. 26

    apple-tree

  3. 27

    hazelnut-tree

  4. 28

    rose-tree

Lesson 40: The suffix -aar weakened to -er

The weak form er

The ending aar has a second, weaker shape, er. It comes after a syllable that carries the stress.

De bakker is a baker. De zanger is a singer. De vertaler is a translator. De Zwitser is a Swiss.

Sometimes a d comes before the ending, mostly after r. De hoorder is a hearer. De verhuurder is a landlord.

Like aar, er names persons, animals and things. De kater is a tomcat. De gieter is a watering can.

  1. 29

    baker

  2. 30

    hunter

  3. 31

    translator

  4. 32

    baptizer

  5. 33

    fisher

  1. 34

    singer

  2. 35

    policeman

  3. 36

    hearer

  4. 37

    landlord

  5. 38

    Dutchman

  1. 39

    Austrian

  2. 40

    Swiss

  3. 41

    male pigeon

  4. 42

    tom-cat

Lesson 40: The suffixes -e, -de, -te

Nouns from adjectives

The ending de makes nouns from adjectives. Most often it has changed to te. De hoogte is height. De lengte is length. De diepte is depth.

De liefde is love. De groente means greens or vegetables.

The ending e alone makes only a few nouns. De zonde is sin. De koude is cold.

  1. 43

    cold

  2. 44

    sin

  3. 45

    love

  4. 46

    breadth

  5. 47

    depth

  1. 48

    height

  2. 49

    length

  3. 50

    plain

  4. 51

    greens, vegetables

Lesson 40: The suffixes -egge, -ster, -in, -es forming feminines

Female names from male names

Four endings turn the name of a male person or animal into the name of a female.

Egge and ster are two of them. De dievegge is a thief. De schrijfster is an author.

In is the third. De koningin is a queen. De godin is a goddess. De leeuwin is a lioness.

Es is the fourth. De dienares is a servant. It is also added to words from other languages. De prinses is a princess. De abdis is an abbess.

  1. 52

    thief

  2. 53

    gossip

  3. 54

    gossip

  4. 55

    beggar-woman

  5. 56

    author

  1. 57

    gardener's wife

  2. 58

    queen

  3. 59

    goddess

  4. 60

    goddess

  5. 61

    lioness

  1. 62

    she-wolf

  2. 63

    servant

  3. 64

    artist

  4. 65

    singer (artist)

Lesson 40: Words in -em, -sem, -en denoting things

Endings that mark things

A word that ends in em or sem names a thing. So do nearly all words that end in en.

De adem is breath. De bezem is a broom. De bloesem is a blossom. De bodem is a bottom.

De reden is a reason. De leugen is a lie. De vasten is Lent.

  1. 66

    breath

  2. 67

    broom

  3. 68

    blossom

  4. 69

    bottom

  5. 70

    leaven

  1. 71

    vapour

  2. 72

    lie

  3. 73

    reason

  4. 74

    lent

  5. 75

    serf

Lesson 40: The suffix -ing, -ling, -eling

Ing and ling for persons

The ending ing first named where a person came from. De Vlaming is a Fleming. De koning is a king.

Later it also named animals and things. De haring is a herring. De honing is honey.

Some words end in l before the suffix, and the l joined the ending. This gave ling. De dorpeling is a villager. De lieveling is a darling. De huurling is a hireling.

Contempt, things and twins

Eling added to an adjective makes a person small, and it often shows contempt. De stommeling is a stupid person. De woesteling is a wild man.

Names of things in ing or eling show origin or a small size. De ketting is a chain. De krakeling is a cracknel.

A few nouns in ling come from numbers and have a group meaning. De tweeling is a twin. De drieling is one of three children born at one birth.

The suffix -ing, -ling, -eling

De ketting chain, de krakeling cracknel, de penning medal or farthing, de vliering garret, de zilverling silverling, de zuring sorrel.

Remark 2. A few nouns in -ling are formed from numerals; they have a collective meaning.

De tweeling twin, de drieling one of three children at a birth etc.

  1. 76

    Carolingian

  2. 77

    Merovingian

  3. 78

    Fleming

  4. 79

    king

  5. 80

    inhabitant of heaven

  1. 81

    red herring

  2. 82

    herring

  3. 83

    honey

  4. 84

    villager

  5. 85

    monk, nun

  1. 86

    darling

  2. 87

    obscurant

  3. 88

    stupid person

  4. 89

    wild man

Lesson 40: The suffixes -ing, -st forming feminine verbal nouns

Nouns made from verbs

The endings ing and st make feminine nouns from verbs. These nouns take de.

De wandeling is a walk. De kleding is dress. De belegering is a siege.

De kunst is art. De vangst is a catch. De winst is a gain.

  1. 90

    siege

  2. 91

    dress

  3. 92

    walk

  4. 93

    art

  5. 94

    catch

  6. 95

    gain

Lesson 40: The suffixes -ik, -erik

Endings that show contempt

The endings ik and erik make nouns that mock a person. De botterik is a blockhead. De vuilik is a filthy person.

A different ending rik is much older. It meant lord or ruler. It no longer forms new words.

It survives in older written Dutch, in the names Diederik and Hendrik, and in a few animal and plant names. De ganzerik is a gander.

  1. 96

    blockhead

  2. 97

    blockhead

  3. 98

    a filthy person

  4. 99

    a filthy person

  5. 100

    gander

  6. 101

    tare

Lesson 40: The suffix -nis

Nis after verbs and adjectives

The ending nis is added to verbs and to adjectives.

De beeltenis is an image. De vergiffenis is pardon. Het vuilnis is dirt.

De beeltenis and de vergiffenis take de. Het vuilnis takes het.

  1. 102

    image

  2. 103

    pardon

  3. 104

    dirt

Lesson 40: The suffixes -el, -sel for tools and products

Tools and products

The endings el and sel are added to verb roots. They name tools and the things that are made.

De sleutel is a key. De teugel is a bridle. De vleugel is a wing.

Het deksel is a cover. Het schoeisel is boots. Het zaagsel is sawdust. Het schepsel is a creature.

A few Dutch words took eel in place of el, after French words such as het kasteel. Het houweel is a pick-axe. Het toneel is a scene.

  1. 105

    key

  2. 106

    bridle

  3. 107

    wing

  4. 108

    cover

  5. 109

    boots

  1. 110

    starch

  2. 111

    baking

  3. 112

    creature

  4. 113

    saw-dust

  5. 114

    pick-axe

  1. 115

    scene

  2. 116

    castle

Lesson 40: Diminutives with -je

Je makes a small thing

A diminutive names a small version of a thing. Dutch uses it often. The usual ending is je. Het boek becomes het boekje. Het huis becomes het huisje. De kat becomes het katje.

If the noun has a long vowel in the plural, the diminutive keeps it. Pad becomes paadje.

An unstressed ng becomes nk. De koning becomes het koninkje. If the ng syllable is partly stressed, etje is added: het wandelingetje.

Choosing je, tje, etje or pje

After a short vowel and l, n or r, the letter doubles and etje follows. Bal becomes balletje. Kan becomes kannetje. Kar becomes karretje.

After a long vowel the ending is tje. Paal becomes paaltje. Schaar becomes schaartje. Tje also follows a vowel or w: knie, knietje. Vrouw, vrouwtje.

After m the ending is pje. Boom becomes boompje. Raam becomes raampje.

A few diminutives are shortened. Zuster becomes zusje. Meid becomes meisje.

  1. 117

    little book

  2. 118

    kitten

  3. 119

    little lock

  4. 120

    little king

  5. 121

    little collection

  1. 122

    little ball

  2. 123

    little jug

  3. 124

    little pig

  4. 125

    little stake

  5. 126

    little mummy

  1. 127

    little sleeve

  2. 128

    little tree

  3. 129

    little brother

  4. 130

    little mother

Lesson 40: Foreign suffixes borrowed for persons

Endings borrowed for persons

Some endings came from other languages and were added to Dutch words to name persons. They are aan, ier, iet and ist.

De bloemist is a florist. De drogist is a chemist. De Germanist is a Germanist.

De herbergier is an innkeeper. De kruidenier is a grocer. De Arabier is an Arab.

De Amerikaan is an American. De Europeaan is a European. De Lutheraan is a Lutheran.

  1. 131

    florist

  2. 132

    chemist

  3. 133

    innkeeper

  4. 134

    gardener

  5. 135

    gardener

  1. 136

    chimer

  2. 137

    grocer

  3. 138

    American

  4. 139

    Arab

  5. 140

    Asiatic

  1. 141

    Asiatic

  2. 142

    Batavian

  3. 143

    European

  4. 144

    Indian

Lesson 40: The foreign suffix -age

Age for groups and actions

The ending age is foreign. Added to a noun, it gives a group meaning. De bosschage is a grove. De pakkage is baggage.

It is also added to verb roots. De lekkage is a leakage. De vrijage is courtship.

  1. 145

    grove

  2. 146

    baggage

  3. 147

    leakage

  4. 148

    scaffolding

  5. 149

    courtship

Lesson 40: Words in -ij, -erij, -ernij

Ij from persons

The ending ij, with erij and ernij, builds nouns from the names of persons. The new noun names a trade, a place, a group or a kind of behavior.

De bakker is a baker. De bakkerij is a bake house. De schelm is a rogue. De schelmerij is roguery. De bedelaar is a beggar. De bedelarij is begging.

Het schilderij is a painting. De maatschappij is society.

Ij from things

The same ending is added to names of things. Het boek is a book. De boekerij is a library.

The book also lists de hovaardij, pride, and de lekkernij, a dainty.

Most of these nouns take de. Het schilderij takes het.

Words in -ij, -erij, -ernij

From names of things: het boek book, de boekerij library. Het kleed dress, de kledij clothes, toilet. De koopvaart commercial navigation, de koopvaardij. Cf. also: de hovaardij pride, de lekkernij dainty.

  1. 150

    bake-house

  2. 151

    beggary, begging

  3. 152

    imposture

  4. 153

    citizens

  5. 154

    theft, robbery

  1. 155

    dominion

  2. 156

    hypocrisy

  3. 157

    society

  4. 158

    doggerel

  5. 159

    cavalry

  1. 160

    roguery

  2. 161

    picture, painting

  3. 162

    guardianship

  4. 163

    guardianship

Lesson 40: The foreign suffixes -et, -ment, -teit

Three rare endings

The endings et, ment and teit are foreign. They occur in very few Dutch words.

Het dreigement is a threat. De flauwiteit is silliness. De helmet is a helmet.

  1. 164

    threat

  2. 165

    silliness

  3. 166

    helmet

De poppenkast

  1. 167

    The puppet show

  2. 168

    Do you still remember those old shows in that linen theatre and the puppet show, to my shame, that I have forgotten that name!

  3. 169

    I believe it was Van den Ham or something like that.

  1. 170

    That box was covered with the classic motley wrapping, blue and white checks, and at that time it was not allowed to be anything else; the only tolerated deviation was that the checks were sometimes light red.

  2. 171

    The theatre itself was not big, perhaps even rather small, especially when the house was set up, or when the box stood on the stage.

  3. 172

    But still, there was enough room, especially because there were only two persons on the stage at a time.

  1. 173

    In rare cases a third, who then had to be held up by the other two; for as a result of the mechanism by which the puppets were set in motion, only two could be in motion at a time: a person only has two hands, after all!

  2. 174

    And how simple those wings were!

  3. 175

    One on the right and one on the left: a strip of light grey wallpaper, and the backdrop the same.

Lesson 40: exercise 108

  1. 176

    het bedrog

    bedriegen

  2. 177

    de baar

    beren

  3. 178

    de barst

    bersten

  4. 179

    de bede

    bidden

  5. 180

    de bijt

    bijten

  6. 181

    de band

    binden

  7. 182

    de brok

    breken

  1. 183

    de boog

    buigen

  2. 184

    het gedrang

    dringen

  3. 185

    de drank

    drinken

  4. 186

    het goud

    gelden

  5. 187

    het genot

    genieten

  6. 188

    de gracht

    graven

  7. 189

    de greep

    grijpen

  1. 190

    de hulp

    helpen

  2. 191

    de klank

    klinken

  3. 192

    de knip

    knijpen

  4. 193

    de komst

    komen

  5. 194

    de kramp

    krimpen

  6. 195

    de leugen

    liegen

  7. 196

    het leed

    lijden

  1. 197

    de mol

    malen

  2. 198

    de rit

    rijden

  3. 199

    de rij

    rijgen

  4. 200

    het schot

    schieten

  5. 201

    de schrede

    schrijden

  6. 202

    de slip

    slijpen

  7. 203

    het slot

    sluiten

  1. 204

    het split

    splijten

  2. 205

    de spraak

    spreken

  3. 206

    de staak

    steken

  4. 207

    de steiger

    stijgen

  5. 208

    het stof

    stuiven

  6. 209

    het tuig

    tien

  7. 210

    het verlies

    verliezen

  1. 211

    de vond

    vinden

  2. 212

    de vliet

    vlieten

  3. 213

    de waag

    wegen

  4. 214

    de wafel

    weven

  5. 215

    de zang

    zingen

Lesson 40: exercise 109

  1. 216

    het balletje

    bal

  2. 217

    het biggetje

    big

  3. 218

    het boekje

    boek

  4. 219

    het boompje

    boom

  5. 220

    het broertje

    broeder

  6. 221

    het gaatje

    gat

  7. 222

    het huisje

    huis

  1. 223

    het jongetje

    jongen

  2. 224

    het kammetje

    kam

  3. 225

    het kannetje

    kan

  4. 226

    het karretje

    kar

  5. 227

    het katje

    kat

  6. 228

    het kindje

    kind

  7. 229

    het knietje

    knie

  1. 230

    het koninkje

    koning

  2. 231

    het mamaatje

    mama

  3. 232

    het mannetje

    man

  4. 233

    het meisje

    meid

  5. 234

    het moedertje

    moeder

  6. 235

    het mouwtje

    mouw

  7. 236

    het paaltje

    paal

  1. 237

    het paadje

    pad

  2. 238

    het penninkje

    penning

  3. 239

    het raampje

    raam

  4. 240

    het schaartje

    schaar

  5. 241

    het slotje

    slot

  6. 242

    het treedje

    tred

  7. 243

    het vadertje

    vader

  1. 244

    het vaatje

    vat

  2. 245

    het veertje

    veder

  3. 246

    het verzamelingetje

    verzameling

  4. 247

    het vrouwtje

    vrouw

  5. 248

    het wandelingetje

    wandeling

  6. 249

    het weertje

    weder

  7. 250

    het woninkje

    woning

  8. 251

    het zoontje

    zoon

  9. 252

    het zusje

    zuster

Lesson 40: exercise 110

  1. 253

    de appelaar

    appel

  2. 254

    de bakkerij

    bakker

  3. 255

    de bedriegerij

    bedrieger

  4. 256

    de beeldenaar

    beelden

  5. 257

    de boekerij

    boek

  6. 258

    de boender

    boenen

  7. 259

    de breedte

    breed

  1. 260

    het deksel

    dekken

  2. 261

    de diepte

    diep

  3. 262

    het dreigement

    dreigen

  4. 263

    de duikeling

    duikelen

  5. 264

    de flauwigheid

    flauw

  6. 265

    de ganzerik

    gans

  7. 266

    de groente

    groen

  1. 267

    de hazelaar

    hazel

  2. 268

    het hoogsel

    hoog

  3. 269

    het houweel

    houwen

  4. 270

    de kater

    kat

  5. 271

    de kleding

    kleed

  6. 272

    de koude

    koud

  7. 273

    de lengte

    lang

  1. 274

    de lekkage

    lek

  2. 275

    de lepelaar

    lepel

  3. 276

    de lessenaar

    les

  4. 277

    de pakkage

    pak

  5. 278

    de passer

    passen

  6. 279

    de rijmelarij

    rijmelaar

  7. 280

    de rozelaar

    roos

  1. 281

    de schelmerij

    schelm

  2. 282

    de schepping

    scheppen

  3. 283

    de schoeiing

    schoeien

  4. 284

    de stellage

    stellen

  5. 285

    de stijvigheid

    stijven

  6. 286

    de vangst

    vangen

  7. 287

    de vergeving

    vergeven

  1. 288

    de voogdij

    voogd

  2. 289

    de vrijage

    vrijen

  3. 290

    de wandeling

    wandelen

  4. 291

    de winst

    winnen

  5. 292

    de zilverling

    zilver

Lesson 40: exercise 111

  1. 293

    de abdis

    abt

  2. 294

    de Amerikaan

    Amerika

  3. 295

    de Aziër

    Azië

  4. 296

    de bakker

    bakken

  5. 297

    de bloemist

    bloem

  6. 298

    de botterik

    bot

  7. 299

    de dievegge

    dief

  1. 300

    de dienares

    dienaar

  2. 301

    de dorpeling

    dorp

  3. 302

    de drenkeling

    drenken

  4. 303

    de duisterling

    duister

  5. 304

    de Egyptenaar

    Egypte

  6. 305

    de geweldenaar

    geweld

  7. 306

    de godin

    god

  1. 307

    de herbergier

    herberg

  2. 308

    de hoveling

    hof

  3. 309

    de huurder

    huren

  4. 310

    de Indiër

    Indië

  5. 311

    de klokkenist

    klok

  6. 312

    de kloosterling

    klooster

  7. 313

    de kruidenier

    kruid

  1. 314

    de kunstenaar

    kunst

  2. 315

    de kwekeling

    kweken

  3. 316

    de leraar

    leren

  4. 317

    de lieverd

    lief

  5. 318

    de Lutheraan

    Luther

  6. 319

    de Oostenrijker

    Oostenrijk

  7. 320

    de overwinnaar

    overwinnen

  1. 321

    de prinses

    prins

  2. 322

    de profetes

    profeet

  3. 323

    de smekeling

    smeken

  4. 324

    de stommerik

    stom

  5. 325

    de tuinierster

    tuinier

  6. 326

    de tweeling

    twee

  7. 327

    de verhuurder

    verhuren

  1. 328

    de viezerik

    vies

  2. 329

    de vuilik

    vuil

  3. 330

    de weduwnaar

    weduwe

  4. 331

    de wolvin

    wolf

  5. 332

    de zangeres

    zanger

Lesson 40: exercise 112

  1. 333

    The year is past already, and now I must leave this place.

  2. 334

    I have become attached to these simple, industrious people.

  3. 335

    That Stanmitz is a good, honest fellow.

  4. 336

    I am half inclined to put confidence in him.

  5. 337

    Halloo, Peter, are you still here?

  6. 338

    What was that I heard you saying as I came near?

  7. 339

    Well, comrade, I am about to leave this place.

  1. 340

    What? leave Saardam? Where are you going?

  2. 341

    Back to my own country, our country, I may say; for you know, like yourself, I come from Russia.

  3. 342

    I came here to learn shipbuilding, and now it is time to return home.

  4. 343

    I have been away a whole year.

  5. 344

    Must you go? Our master will be sorry to lose you.

  6. 345

    He says you are the steadiest workman in the yard; and he holds you up as an example to us all.

  7. 346

    I am glad to think of leaving a good name behind me.

  1. 347

    But won't all you workmen be glad to have me out of the way?

  2. 348

    No, Peter; I for one, at least, shall be sorry to miss you.

  3. 349

    We have been friends all along. I have really a liking for you.

  4. 350

    And so have I for you. Why should we part?

  5. 351

    Why not return with me to the old country? Is there no one who would be glad to see you there?

  6. 352

    Why, yes: there is my poor old mother, always wishing me back; and a good, pretty girl too, who, I am afraid, thinks oftener about me than I deserve.

  7. 353

    Still, I hardly dare. Peter, why must you leave us?

  1. 354

    Because I have duties that call me home now. Duty first, you know, is the rule for every true man.

  2. 355

    Yes, so the priest says.

  3. 356

    So every brave man will say. You, I think, have no absolute duty here. Let us hope to meet again.

  4. 357

    Before you go, Peter, I think I may venture to tell you a secret.

  5. 358

    Do not tell me if it is anything you are ashamed of.

  1. 359

    No, no, not ashamed; but it is what makes me afraid to go home. I was born at Moscow.

  2. 360

    Well, there is no crime in being born at Moscow; besides, that was no fault of yours.

  3. 361

    That's not what I mean. Listen! It happened one day that a party of soldiers halted near my mother's cottage.

  4. 362

    The commanding officer presently took notice of me, and assured me that the Czar Peter had a particular need and desire for my services.

  1. 363

    In short, in short, there was plenty of schnapps going round, and before I well knew what he was doing, the officer clapped a gun on my shoulder, and marched me off.

  2. 364

    In short, you were enlisted.

  3. 365

    I suppose so; but really I did not comprehend it at the time.

Lesson 41: Formation of nouns by composition: obsolete particles, now prefixes (and 1 more)

Old words now used as prefixes

Eight short words were once words of their own. Now they are inseparable prefixes. They never stand alone in front of a noun.

The eight are af, ant, et, ge, on, oor, wan and aarts. Aarts comes from outside Dutch.

Af: distance or negation

Af at the front of a noun shows a distance or a negation.

Het afdak is a penthouse. De afdruk is a printed copy. De afgrond is a precipice. De afweg is a by-way. De afgod is an idol.

  1. 366

    penthouse

  2. 367

    printed copy

  3. 368

    idol

  4. 369

    precipice

  5. 370

    envy

  6. 371

    by-way

Formation of nouns by composition: obsolete particles, now prefixes

The prefixes: af, ant, et, ge, on, oor, wan and the foreign aarts were formerly particles; now they are inseparable prefixes.
The prefix af

Af denotes a distance or a negation.

Het afdak penthouse, de afdruk printed copy, de afgod idol, de afgrond precipice, de afgunst envy, de afweg by-way.
The prefixes ant and et

Ant and et occur in the following words only:

het antwoord answer, het etgroen after-growth, het etmaal space of twenty-four hours.
The prefix ge- for nouns

Ge (= together) forms names of persons also with a collective meaning.

De gemaal husband, de genoot fellow, de gezel companion.

Substantives which are formed from verbs denote a continuing action: het geloop running, het gepraat tattle, het geschreeuw cry, ado. A product: het gebak pastry, het gebouw building. Fitness: het gehoor hearing, het geduld patience.

If the suffix -te is added to words with ge they denote collective names of animals and things: het gedierte beasts, het gevederte fowls, het gewormte vermin; het gebladerte foliage, het gebeente bones, het gebergte chain of mountains.

A few from the list
de gemaal            husband
de genoot            fellow
de gezel             companion
het geloop           running
het gepraat          tattle
het geschreeuw       cry, ado
het gebak            pastry
het gebouw           building
het gehoor           hearing
het geduld           patience
The prefixes on and wan

On and wan express the contrary of the principal word.

Het onbruik disuse, de ondeugd vice, de ondienst bad service, het ongenoegen displeasure, de onmin disagreement, het onraad danger; het wanbedrijf crime, de wanbetaling non-payment, het wangeluid or de wanklank dissonance, de wanhoop despair, de wanorde disorder, het wantrouwen distrust.
The prefix oor

Oor denotes the beginning or the consequence of an action.

De oorkonde charter, de oorlog war, de oorsprong origin, de oorzaak cause.
The foreign prefix aarts

The foreign aarts is connected with Dutch as well as with foreign words.

De aartsbisschop archbishop, de aartsgek first-rate fool, de aartsvader patriarch, de aartsvijand archfiend, de aartswoekeraar arrant usurer.
Obsolete words, now suffixes

The following particles are used now as inseparable suffixes: aard (erd), dom, heid, schap.
The suffix aard, erd

Words with aard have an unfavourable meaning, except de grijsaard old man, greybeard.

De gierigaard miser, de grijnzaard grumbler, de lafaard coward, de veinzaard dissembler, de wreedaard cruel man.

In some compounds aard is weakened to erd, generally with the same meaning.

De dikkerd a plump person, de gluiperd sneak, de leperd shrewd one; also de lieverd darling.

Compounds with aard are imitations of French words with ard, such as: bâtard, de bastaard bastard; richard, de rijkaard rich fellow; Savoyard, de Savooiaard. This aard, however, is of German origin (hard), as may still be seen in proper names such as Bernard/Bernhard, Gerard/Gerhard, Reinaard/Reinhard.
The suffixes dom and schap

Dom and schap denote: A quality. Het eigendom property, de ouderdom old age, de rijkdom riches; de blijdschap joy, de gramschap anger, wrath. Some have a concrete meaning: het heiligdom sanctuary, het gereedschap tools. A dignity or rank: de adeldom nobility, het broederschap fraternity, de ridderschap knighthood, het vaderschap paternity. A collective meaning: het christendom christianity, het heidendom paganism, het broederschap brotherhood, het genootschap company. A country or dominion: het bisdom bishopric, het hertogdom duchy, het vorstendom principality, de graafschap earldom, county.

A few from the list
het eigendom         property
de ouderdom          old age
de rijkdom           riches
de blijdschap        joy
de gramschap         anger, wrath
het heiligdom        sanctuary
het gereedschap      tools
de adeldom           nobility
het broederschap     fraternity
de ridderschap       knighthood
The suffix heid

Words with heid are formed from nouns and adjectives, they denote persons (some with a collective meaning) or abstract things.

De godheid deity, de mensheid humanity, de overheid authorities, de goedheid kindness, de schoonheid beauty, de voorzichtigheid prudence.
Compounds of two nouns: plural first member

In compounds of two nouns the first member may have a singular or a plural meaning. If the first member expresses a plural it has as a rule the ending en, seldom s.

Het bokkenleer goat's skin, de ganzenmarkt goose-market, de naaldenfabriek needle-manufactury, de zedenleer morality. Cf.: de paardenstal stable for one horse, de paardenstal for more horses; het schapenvlees meat of one sheep, het schapenvlees of two or more sheep.

For compounds denoting persons or animals the following rules must be added to the preceding: The plural form must be used, if the first member is the name of a person representing the whole class.

De boerenwoning farm-house, de gravinnenkroon crown of a countess, de vrouwenhoed bonnet.

Also if the first member is the name of a male animal, having no compounds with s and representing the whole species.

De berenklauw bear's foot, de leeuwenmuil lion's mouth, het ossenbloed ox blood. Exceptions are a few compounds with haan: de hanenbalk cockloft, de hanenkam cock's comb, de hanenklauw cock's spur.

If the first member is a masculine noun having compounds with s, a feminine or a neuter noun, the plural form is not used.

Het bokkenvel goat's skin, het mollengat molecast (cf. de molshoop mole-hill), de kattenstaart cat's tail, de paardenvoet horse's foot.

For the sake of euphony n is sometimes inserted, if the second member ends in a vowel or in h: het ganzenei goose-egg, het eikenhout oak. If the first member always ends in e, no n is inserted: het bodeambt duty of a servant, de medewerker cooperator, de vredeshandel negotiation of peace.

A few from the list
het bokkenleer       goat's skin
de ganzenmarkt       goose-market
de naaldenfabriek    needle-manufactury
de zedenleer         morality
de paardenstal       horse stable
het schapenvlees     mutton
de boerenwoning      farm-house
de gravinnenkroon    crown of a countess
de vrouwenhoed       bonnet
de berenklauw        bear's foot
Compounds with an inserted e

The first member of a true compound often has an original or afterwards inserted e.

De brillendoos spectacle-case, de hagedoorn hawthorn, de herenboer gentleman-farmer, het penmes penknife, de willekeur caprice.

Also the names of trees, the first part of which denotes the tree but not the fruit.

De beuk beech, de eik oak-tree, de peer, de perenboom pear-tree, de pruimenboom plum-tree, de perzikenboom or de perzikboom peach-tree.
Compounds without an inserted e

The greater part of true compounds have no e between the first and the second member.

De boekhandel book-trade, de brandspuit fire-engine, de neushoorn rhinoceros, het rundvee cattle, de stofregen drizzling rain.

If the first member admits of a pluralform in eren, it ends in er in the compound.

De eierdop egg-shell, de eierpruim horse-plum, de kindermeid nursery, het rundergebraad roast-beef.

Sometimes the first member has the plural-ending en or s.

De boekenkast book-case, de kleermaker tailor, de mensenliefde philanthropy, de bedelaarsherberg beggar's inn, het mannenkleed man's coat.

The genitive ending s is used in some compounds, even when the first member is a feminine noun: de manspersoon man, de watersnood inundation, de stadspoort town-gate.

The position of the first member with regard to the second is not plain in such compounds as: de broederliefde fraternal love, de kinderliefde a child's love, de moederliefde maternal love, de ouderliefde parents' love, de vaderliefde paternal love, de zusterliefde sisterly love; cf.: de mensenliefde, de waarheidsliefde love of truth.

A few from the list
de boekhandel        book-trade
de brandspuit        fire-engine
de neushoorn         rhinoceros
het rundvee          cattle
de stofregen         drizzling rain
de eierdop           egg-shell
de eierpruim         horse-plum
de kindermeid        nursery
het rundergebraad    roast-beef
de boekenkast        book-case
Adjective as first member: never e

When an adjective is the first member of a compound it never has e.

De grootmeester grandmaster, de hoogmoed pride, de kleinzoon grandson, de schoonmoeder mother-in-law, het smaldeel squadron, de zuurkool sauerkraut.
Adjective plus noun denoting a person

Some names of things compounded with adjectives denote persons, distinguishing themselves by the possession of the thing mentioned.

De blauwbaard blue-beard, de blauwkous blue-stocking, de domkop blockhead, de langhals long-necked person, de platneus flat nose, de roodhuid red-skin, de spitsneus pointed nose, de zwartkop black-haired one.
Verb root as first member

If the root of a verb is the first member of a compound it generally denotes the use of the substantive.

De drinkbeker cup, de loopjongen errand boy, de schrijftafel writing-table, de slaapkamer bed-room.

Sometimes s has been inserted or final d dropped.

De leidsman guide, de scheidsmuur partition-wall, de scheidsman arbiter; de leiband leading-string, het rijtuig carriage.

In some names of persons the substantive is to be considered as the object of the verb.

De deugniet good-for-nothing, de dwingeland tyrant, de vernielal destroyer, de waaghals dare-devil.

In a few compounds the object stands as the first part.

De beeldjeskoper seller of statues, de eerbied respect, de scharenslijper knife-grinder, het tijdverdrijf pastime.

A few from the list
de drinkbeker        cup
de loopjongen        errand boy
de schrijftafel      writing-table
de slaapkamer        bed-room
de leidsman          guide
de scheidsmuur       partition-wall
de scheidsman        arbiter
de leiband           leading-string
het rijtuig          carriage
de deugniet          good-for-nothing
Compounds with a numeral

De drieman triumvir, het tiental ten, het vierspan team of four. Some have a possessive meaning, such as: de drievoet trivet, de duizendpoot milleped, de eenhoorn unicorn, het negenoog lamprey, de tweeklank diphthong, het vierkant square, de vijfhoek pentagon, het zevengesternte Pleiades.
Compounds with an adverb

De achterbuurt back street, het achterhoofd occiput, de binnenplaats inner-court, de buitenplaats country-seat, de buitenzijde outside, het vooroordeel prejudice, de voorproef fore-taste.
Compounds whose second member is lost

Of some compounds the second member is either lost or no longer used.

De baker (originally bakermoeder) dry nurse, de das (dassevel) neck-cloth, de kraag (kraagdoek) collar, de kroeg (kroeghuis) public-house, de min (minnemoeder) nurse, de spin (or spinnekop) spider, het spoor (spoortrein, spoorweg) railway or train, de tram (tramwagen) tramway, de winkel (winkelhuis) shop, de zerk (French: cercueil = zerksteen) tomb-stone.
Other parts of speech used substantively

Other parts of speech, even whole expressions, may be used as substantives.

Het schone the beautiful, mijn eigen ik my own self, het lezen reading, het waarom the reason why, het voor en tegen pro and con, het ach en wee (ach en wee roepen to cry aloud), het ken uzelf self-knowledge.
Adjectives used substantively

Some adjectives used substantively have got the character of a real noun.

De dode dead person, de dwaas fool, de gulden guilder, de heilige saint, de jongen boy, de mens (from man) man, de schijndode one apparently dead, de vrek miser, de zot fool; het euvel evil, het (doel)wit aim, de ziel soul, het jong young one; also een schone a beauty.

Collective words without article.

Het goed (de goederen) goods, het ongelijk wrong, het vuil dirt.

Names of colours.

Het blauw blue, het geel yellow, het rood red, het zwart black etc.

A few of such words are used with a diminutive-ending only.

Een bittertje a glass of bitters, het grootje (little) grandmother, een nieuwtje a novelty.

Also the numerals denoting a coin, though the guilder itself is now the euro:

Een dubbeltje ten cents, een kwartje twenty-five cents, een tientje ten euros.

A few from the list
de dode              dead person
de dwaas             fool
de gulden            guilder
de heilige           saint
de jongen            boy
de mens              man
de schijndode        one apparently dead
de vrek              miser
de zot               fool
het euvel            evil
Infinitives and imperatives used substantively

Infinitives used substantively have already been mentioned in Lesson 33. Het vermoeden supposition and het gevoelen opinion are also used in the plural; the plural of het leven, levens, has the meaning of levensbeschrijving biography.

Imperative forms occur in the words: het kruidje-roer-mij-niet sensitive plant, het vergeet-mij-nietje forget-me-not, de spring-in-'t-veld wild spark; also in the French expressions: een passe-partout a master-key, een rendez-vous a rendez-vous, een vol-au-vent a meat-pie.
Obsolete present participles used substantively

On the participles used substantively, see Lesson 34. Of the obsolete present participles used substantively we mention: de Heiland from heilen (to save) Saviour, de vijand from vijen (to hate) enemy, de vriend from vrijen (to love) friend.

Lesson 41: The prefixes ant and et

Two prefixes found in three words

Ant and et occur in only three nouns. Het antwoord is an answer. Het etgroen is after-growth. Het etmaal is a space of twenty-four hours.

They occur in no other word.

  1. 372

    answer

  2. 373

    after-growth

  3. 374

    space of twenty-four hours

Lesson 41: The prefix ge- for nouns

Ge: together

Ge means together. With it Dutch forms names of persons, some with a group meaning. De gezel is a companion. De genoot is a fellow.

A ge noun formed from a verb names an action that goes on. Het geloop is running. Het gepraat is tattle.

Other ge nouns name a product or a fitness. Het gebak is pastry. Het gebouw is a building. Het gehoor is hearing. Het geduld is patience.

Ge plus te: groups of animals and things

Add te to the end of a ge noun and it names a whole group. Het gedierte is beasts. Het gevederte is fowls. Het gewormte is vermin.

Things work the same way. Het gebladerte is foliage. Het gebeente is bones. Het gebergte is a chain of mountains.

  1. 375

    husband

  2. 376

    fellow

  3. 377

    companion

  4. 378

    running

  5. 379

    tattle

  1. 380

    cry, ado

  2. 381

    pastry

  3. 382

    building

  4. 383

    hearing

  5. 384

    patience

  1. 385

    beasts

  2. 386

    fowls

  3. 387

    vermin

  4. 388

    foliage

Lesson 41: The prefixes on and wan

On and wan: the opposite

On and wan give the opposite of the word after them. Het onbruik is disuse. De ondeugd is vice. Het ongenoegen is displeasure. Het onraad is danger.

Wan works the same way. De wanhoop is despair. De wanorde is disorder. Het wantrouwen is distrust. De wanbetaling is non-payment.

  1. 389

    disuse

  2. 390

    vice

  3. 391

    bad service

  4. 392

    displeasure

  5. 393

    disagreement

  1. 394

    danger

  2. 395

    crime

  3. 396

    non-payment

  4. 397

    dissonance

  5. 398

    dissonance

  1. 399

    despair

  2. 400

    disorder

  3. 401

    distrust

Lesson 41: The prefix oor

Oor: a beginning or a result

Oor shows the beginning of an action or what comes of it. De oorsprong is an origin. De oorzaak is a cause. De oorlog is war. De oorkonde is a charter.

  1. 402

    charter

  2. 403

    war

  3. 404

    origin

  4. 405

    cause

Lesson 41: The foreign prefix aarts (and 1 more)

Aarts, a prefix from outside Dutch

Aarts comes from outside Dutch. It joins Dutch words as well as foreign words.

De aartsbisschop is an archbishop. De aartsvader is a patriarch. De aartsvijand is an archfiend. De aartsgek is a first-rate fool.

Old words now used as suffixes

Four short words were once words of their own. Now they are inseparable suffixes: aard, dom, heid and schap.

Aard has a second form, erd.

  1. 406

    archbishop

  2. 407

    first-rate fool

  3. 408

    patriarch

  4. 409

    archfiend

  5. 410

    arrant usurer

Lesson 41: The suffix aard, erd

Aard and erd: an unfavourable meaning

A noun with aard has an unfavourable meaning. De lafaard is a coward. De gierigaard is a miser. De wreedaard is a cruel man.

De grijsaard is the one exception. It means an old man, and the meaning is not unfavourable.

In some words aard weakens to erd, mostly with the same meaning. De dikkerd is a plump person. De gluiperd is a sneak. De lieverd is a darling.

  1. 411

    old man, greybeard

  2. 412

    miser

  3. 413

    grumbler

  4. 414

    coward

  5. 415

    dissembler

  1. 416

    cruel man

  2. 417

    a plump person

  3. 418

    sneak

  4. 419

    shrewd one

  5. 420

    darling

  1. 421

    bastard

  2. 422

    rich fellow

  3. 423

    Savoyard

Lesson 41: The suffixes dom and schap

Dom and schap: quality, rank, group, country

Dom and schap name a quality. De rijkdom is riches. De blijdschap is joy. De ouderdom is old age.

They also name a rank. De adeldom is nobility. De ridderschap is knighthood. Het vaderschap is paternity.

They name a group, or a country. Het christendom is christianity. Het bisdom is a bishopric. Het hertogdom is a duchy.

A few name a concrete thing. Het gereedschap is tools.

  1. 424

    property

  2. 425

    old age

  3. 426

    riches

  4. 427

    joy

  5. 428

    anger, wrath

  1. 429

    sanctuary

  2. 430

    tools

  3. 431

    nobility

  4. 432

    fraternity

  5. 433

    knighthood

  1. 434

    paternity

  2. 435

    christianity

  3. 436

    paganism

  4. 437

    company

Lesson 41: The suffix heid

Heid: a person or an abstract thing

Heid is added to nouns and adjectives. The result names a person, sometimes a whole group, or an abstract thing.

De godheid is a deity. De mensheid is humanity. De overheid is the authorities.

De goedheid is kindness. De schoonheid is beauty. De voorzichtigheid is prudence.

  1. 438

    deity

  2. 439

    humanity

  3. 440

    authorities

  4. 441

    kindness

  5. 442

    beauty

  6. 443

    prudence

Lesson 41: Compounds of two nouns: plural first member

A plural in the first part

The first part of a compound noun may mean one thing or many. When it means many, it usually ends in en and seldom in s.

Het bokkenleer is goat's skin. De ganzenmarkt is a goose-market. De zedenleer is morality.

Some compounds can mean either. De paardenstal can be a stable for one horse or for more horses.

Persons, animals and an added n

A person who stands for a whole class takes the plural form. De boerenwoning is a farm-house. De vrouwenhoed is a bonnet.

So does a male animal that stands for the whole species. De berenklauw is a bear's foot. Het ossenbloed is ox blood.

A feminine or neuter noun does not take the plural form. Neither does a masculine noun that has compounds with s.

Before a vowel or h, an n is sometimes added for the sound. Het ganzenei is a goose-egg. Het eikenhout is oak.

Compounds of two nouns: plural first member

For the sake of euphony n is sometimes inserted, if the second member ends in a vowel or in h: het ganzenei goose-egg, het eikenhout oak. If the first member always ends in e, no n is inserted: het bodeambt duty of a servant, de medewerker cooperator, de vredeshandel negotiation of peace.

  1. 444

    goat's skin

  2. 445

    goose-market

  3. 446

    needle-manufactury

  4. 447

    morality

  5. 448

    horse stable

  1. 449

    mutton

  2. 450

    farm-house

  3. 451

    crown of a countess

  4. 452

    bonnet

  5. 453

    bear's foot

  1. 454

    lion's mouth

  2. 455

    ox blood

  3. 456

    cockloft

  4. 457

    cock's comb

Lesson 41: Compounds with an inserted e

An e inside the compound

The first part of a true compound often has an e. De brillendoos is a spectacle-case. De hagedoorn is a hawthorn. De willekeur is caprice.

Tree names do this too, when the first part names the tree and not the fruit. De perenboom is a pear-tree. De pruimenboom is a plum-tree.

  1. 458

    spectacle-case

  2. 459

    hawthorn

  3. 460

    gentleman-farmer

  4. 461

    penknife

  5. 462

    caprice

  1. 463

    beech

  2. 464

    oak-tree

  3. 465

    pear-tree

  4. 466

    plum-tree

  5. 467

    peach-tree

  6. 468

    peach-tree

Lesson 41: Compounds without an inserted e

Compounds with no e

Most true compounds put no e between the two parts. De boekhandel is the book-trade. De neushoorn is a rhinoceros. Het rundvee is cattle.

If the first part has a plural in eren, it ends in er inside the compound. De eierdop is an egg-shell. Het rundergebraad is roast-beef.

Sometimes the first part takes en or s. De boekenkast is a book-case. De stadspoort is a town-gate.

The relation between the parts is not always plain. De moederliefde is maternal love. De mensenliefde is philanthropy.

  1. 469

    book-trade

  2. 470

    fire-engine

  3. 471

    rhinoceros

  4. 472

    cattle

  5. 473

    drizzling rain

  1. 474

    egg-shell

  2. 475

    horse-plum

  3. 476

    nursery

  4. 477

    roast-beef

  5. 478

    book-case

  1. 479

    tailor

  2. 480

    philanthropy

  3. 481

    beggar's inn

  4. 482

    man's coat

Lesson 41: Adjective as first member: never e

An adjective at the front

When an adjective is the first part of a compound, it never takes an e. De hoogmoed is pride. De kleinzoon is a grandson. De schoonmoeder is a mother-in-law. De zuurkool is sauerkraut.

Hogepriester and hogeschool are false compounds.

  1. 483

    grandmaster

  2. 484

    pride

  3. 485

    grandson

  4. 486

    mother-in-law

  5. 487

    squadron

  6. 488

    sauerkraut

Lesson 41: Adjective plus noun denoting a person

A person named by a thing

Some compounds of an adjective and a noun name a person by a thing that person has.

De blauwkous is a blue-stocking. De domkop is a blockhead. De langhals is a long-necked person. De roodhuid is a red-skin.

  1. 489

    blue-beard

  2. 490

    blue-stocking

  3. 491

    blockhead

  4. 492

    long-necked person

  5. 493

    flat nose

  1. 494

    red-skin

  2. 495

    pointed nose

  3. 496

    black-haired one

Lesson 41: Verb root as first member

A verb root at the front

When the root of a verb is the first part of a compound, it usually tells what the thing is used for.

De drinkbeker is a cup. De schrijftafel is a writing-table. De slaapkamer is a bed-room.

Sometimes an s is inserted or a final d is dropped. De leidsman is a guide. Het rijtuig is a carriage.

The thing as the object of the verb

In some names of persons the noun is the object of the verb. De deugniet is a good-for-nothing. De dwingeland is a tyrant. De waaghals is a dare-devil.

In a few compounds the object comes first. De scharenslijper is a knife-grinder. Het tijdverdrijf is a pastime.

Verb root as first member

De beeldjeskoper seller of statues, de eerbied respect, de scharenslijper knife-grinder, het tijdverdrijf pastime.

  1. 497

    cup

  2. 498

    errand boy

  3. 499

    writing-table

  4. 500

    bed-room

  5. 501

    guide

  1. 502

    partition-wall

  2. 503

    arbiter

  3. 504

    leading-string

  4. 505

    carriage

  5. 506

    good-for-nothing

  1. 507

    tyrant

  2. 508

    destroyer

  3. 509

    dare-devil

  4. 510

    seller of statues

Lesson 41: Compounds with a numeral

A number at the front

A number can start a compound. De drieman is a triumvir. Het tiental is ten. Het vierspan is a team of four.

Some of these name a thing by what it has. De drievoet is a trivet. De eenhoorn is a unicorn. De vijfhoek is a pentagon. Het vierkant is a square.

  1. 511

    triumvir

  2. 512

    ten

  3. 513

    team of four

  4. 514

    trivet

  5. 515

    milleped

  1. 516

    unicorn

  2. 517

    lamprey

  3. 518

    diphthong

  4. 519

    square

  5. 520

    pentagon

  6. 521

    Pleiades

Lesson 41: Compounds with an adverb

An adverb at the front

An adverb can be the first part of a compound noun.

De achterbuurt is a back street. De binnenplaats is an inner-court. De buitenzijde is the outside. Het vooroordeel is prejudice. De voorproef is a fore-taste.

  1. 522

    back street

  2. 523

    occiput

  3. 524

    inner-court

  4. 525

    country-seat

  5. 526

    outside

  1. 527

    prejudice

  2. 528

    fore-taste

Lesson 41: Compounds whose second member is lost

A lost second part

In some compounds the second part is lost or no longer used. The first part now stands for the whole word.

De kroeg is a public-house, from kroeghuis. De winkel is a shop, from winkelhuis. De spin is a spider, also spinnekop.

  1. 529

    dry nurse

  2. 530

    neck-cloth

  3. 531

    collar

  4. 532

    public-house

  5. 533

    nurse

  1. 534

    spider

  2. 535

    railway or train

  3. 536

    tramway

  4. 537

    shop

  5. 538

    tomb-stone

Lesson 41: Other parts of speech used substantively

Other words used as nouns

Other kinds of words, and even whole expressions, can be used as nouns.

Het schone is the beautiful. Het lezen is reading. Het waarom is the reason why. Het voor en tegen is pro and con. Mijn eigen ik is my own self.

  1. 539

    the beautiful

  2. 540

    my own self

  3. 541

    reading

  4. 542

    the reason why

  5. 543

    pro and con

  1. 544

    woe

  2. 545

    self-knowledge

Lesson 41: Adjectives used substantively

Adjectives used as nouns

Some adjectives used as nouns have become real nouns. De dode is a dead person. De heilige is a saint. De vrek is a miser.

Some name a group and take no article. Het goed is goods. Het vuil is dirt.

Names of colours work this way. Het blauw is blue. Het rood is red. Het zwart is black.

A few occur only with a diminutive ending. Een nieuwtje is a novelty. So do coin names: een dubbeltje is ten cents.

Adjectives used substantively

Also the numerals denoting a coin, though the guilder itself is now the euro:

Een dubbeltje ten cents, een kwartje twenty-five cents, een tientje ten euros.

  1. 546

    dead person

  2. 547

    guilder

  3. 548

    boy

  4. 549

    one apparently dead

  5. 550

    fool

  1. 551

    aim

  2. 552

    young one

  3. 553

    goods

  4. 554

    wrong

  5. 555

    blue

  1. 556

    red

  2. 557

    a glass of bitters

  3. 558

    a novelty

  4. 559

    twenty-five cents

Lesson 41: Infinitives and imperatives used substantively

Infinitives and imperatives as nouns

An infinitive can be used as a noun. Het vermoeden is a supposition. Het gevoelen is an opinion. Both also have a plural.

The plural of het leven is levens, and it means a biography.

A few nouns are built from an imperative. Het vergeet-mij-nietje is a forget-me-not. Het kruidje-roer-mij-niet is a sensitive plant.

  1. 560

    supposition

  2. 561

    opinion

  3. 562

    biography

  4. 563

    sensitive plant

  5. 564

    forget-me-not

  1. 565

    wild spark

  2. 566

    a master-key

  3. 567

    a rendez-vous

  4. 568

    a meat-pie

Lesson 41: Obsolete present participles used substantively

Old participles as nouns

Three nouns were once present participles that are now obsolete.

De vijand is an enemy, from vijen, to hate. De vriend is a friend, from vrijen, to love. De Heiland is the Saviour, from heilen, to save.

  1. 569

    Saviour

  2. 570

    enemy

  3. 571

    friend

De poppenkast (vervolg)

  1. 572

    The puppet show (continued)

  2. 573

    At the side of the stage a bent iron arm stuck out with a rusty little lamp at the end; when it was dark, that was turned forward with a thin little candle on it, and that was light enough.

  3. 574

    I do not know either what more light was needed for: we all knew roughly what was going to happen and could, if need be, follow it well enough in the dark.

  1. 575

    What a fellow that Jan Klaassen was!

  2. 576

    What ease and looseness in his movements!

  3. 577

    How he could throw those two limp legs in clogs over the edge of the stage with an inimitable swagger!

  1. 578

    And that quickness and wit with which he escaped every danger!

  2. 579

    Or was it not dangerous when Katrijn, at the height of her rage, bent her head forward between the two stiffly upright puppet arms and charged at him like a furious goat?

  3. 580

    But watch that quick move by which he manages to jump aside just in time, so that she runs her brains against the wall.

Lesson 41: exercise 113

  1. 581

    After-growth

  2. 582

    age

  3. 583

    aim

  4. 584

    anger

  5. 585

    answer

  6. 586

    appointment

  7. 587

    arbiter

  1. 588

    archbishop

  2. 589

    archfiend

  3. 590

    arrant-usurer

  4. 591

    authorities

  5. 592

    back street

  6. 593

    bastard

  7. 594

    bear's foot

  1. 595

    beasts

  2. 596

    beauty

  3. 597

    bed-room

  4. 598

    beech

  5. 599

    beggar's inn

  6. 600

    biography

  7. 601

    bishopric

  1. 602

    black

  2. 603

    blockhead

  3. 604

    blue

  4. 605

    blue-beard

  5. 606

    blue-stocking

  6. 607

    bones

  7. 608

    bonnet

  1. 609

    book-case

  2. 610

    book-trade

  3. 611

    boy

  4. 612

    brotherhood

  5. 613

    building

  6. 614

    by-way

  7. 615

    caprice

  1. 616

    carriage

  2. 617

    cat's tail

  3. 618

    cattle

  4. 619

    cause

  5. 620

    chain of mountains

  6. 621

    charter

  7. 622

    christianity

  1. 623

    cock's comb

  2. 624

    cock's spur

  3. 625

    cockloft

  4. 626

    collar

  5. 627

    companion

  6. 628

    company

  7. 629

    co-operator

  1. 630

    countryseat

  2. 631

    coward

  3. 632

    crime

  4. 633

    cruel man

  5. 634

    cup

  6. 635

    danger

  7. 636

    dare-devil

  1. 637

    darling

  2. 638

    deity

  3. 639

    despair

  4. 640

    destroyer

  5. 641

    diphthong

  6. 642

    dirt

  7. 643

    disagreement

  1. 644

    disorder

  2. 645

    displeasure

  3. 646

    dissembler

  4. 647

    dissonance

  5. 648

    distrust

  6. 649

    disuse

  7. 650

    drizzling rain

  1. 651

    dry nurse

  2. 652

    duchy

  3. 653

    earldom

  4. 654

    egg-shell

  5. 655

    enemy

  6. 656

    envy

  7. 657

    evil

  1. 658

    farm-house

  2. 659

    fellow

  3. 660

    fire-engine

  4. 661

    foliage

  5. 662

    fool

  6. 663

    fore-taste

  7. 664

    forget-me-not

  1. 665

    fowls

  2. 666

    fraternity

  3. 667

    friend

  4. 668

    gentleman-farmer

  5. 669

    goat's skin

  6. 670

    good-for-nothing

  7. 671

    goods

  1. 672

    goose-egg

  2. 673

    goose-market

  3. 674

    grandmaster

  4. 675

    grandson

  5. 676

    grumbler

  6. 677

    guide

  7. 678

    guilder

  1. 679

    hawthorn

  2. 680

    hearing

  3. 681

    horse's foot

  4. 682

    horse-plum

  5. 683

    humanity

  6. 684

    husband

  7. 685

    idol

  1. 686

    inner-court

  2. 687

    inundation

  3. 688

    joy

  4. 689

    kindness

  5. 690

    knife-grinder

  6. 691

    knighthood

  7. 692

    lamprey

  1. 693

    leading-string

  2. 694

    lion's mouth

  3. 695

    man's coat

  4. 696

    master-key

  5. 697

    meat-pie

  6. 698

    milleped

  7. 699

    miser

  1. 700

    molecast

  2. 701

    morality

  3. 702

    mother-in-law

  4. 703

    ox blood

  5. 704

    nobility

  6. 705

    nonpayment

  7. 706

    novelty

  1. 707

    nurse

  2. 708

    nurse-maid

  3. 709

    oak

  4. 710

    oak-tree

  5. 711

    occiput

  6. 712

    old man

  7. 713

    opinion

  1. 714

    origin

  2. 715

    outside

  3. 716

    paganism

  4. 717

    pastime

  5. 718

    pastry

  6. 719

    paternity

  7. 720

    patience

  1. 721

    patriarch

  2. 722

    peach-tree

  3. 723

    pear-tree

  4. 724

    penknife

  5. 725

    pentagon

  6. 726

    penthouse

  7. 727

    philanthropy

  1. 728

    Pleiades

  2. 729

    a plump person

  3. 730

    plum-tree

  4. 731

    precipice

  5. 732

    prejudice

  6. 733

    pride

  7. 734

    principality

  1. 735

    printed copy

  2. 736

    property

  3. 737

    prudence

  4. 738

    public-house

  5. 739

    railway

  6. 740

    red

  7. 741

    redskin

  1. 742

    respect

  2. 743

    rhinoceros

  3. 744

    rich fellow

  4. 745

    riches

  5. 746

    roast-beef

  6. 747

    running

  7. 748

    saint

  1. 749

    sanctuary

  2. 750

    Saviour

  3. 751

    Savoyard

  4. 752

    seller of statues

  5. 753

    set of four

  6. 754

    shop

  7. 755

    shrewd one

  1. 756

    soul

  2. 757

    sauerkraut

  3. 758

    spectacle-case

  4. 759

    spider

  5. 760

    squadron

  6. 761

    square

  7. 762

    supposition

  1. 763

    tailor

  2. 764

    tattle

  3. 765

    tomb-stone

  4. 766

    tools

  5. 767

    town-gate

  6. 768

    tramway

  7. 769

    triumvir

  1. 770

    trivet

  2. 771

    tyrant

  3. 772

    unicorn

  4. 773

    vermin

  5. 774

    vice

  6. 775

    war

  7. 776

    wild spark

  1. 777

    wrong

  2. 778

    yellow

  3. 779

    young one

Lesson 41: exercise 114

  1. 780

    You were enlisted as a soldier of the Czar. How come you, then, to be here?

  2. 781

    Ah, there it is! I assure you the Czar made a great mistake in wishing to have me for a soldier!

  3. 782

    Indeed I am not of the sort of man to make a hero of. I found the service did not agree with me at all.

  4. 783

    I had to leave my poor mother and Catharina. I was ordered here, ordered there, hard words, hard blows.

  1. 784

    One bitter cold morning in December I was called up at three o'clock to mount guard on a high windy rampart in the snow.

  2. 785

    I really had to walk in order to keep myself from being frozen, and, would you believe it, I found myself at last walking five leagues away from the outposts!

  3. 786

    That is to say, you are a deserter.

  4. 787

    Is that being a deserter? I had my own fears that it was.

  1. 788

    My good fellow, do you know that if you be discovered you will be shot?

  2. 789

    That idea frequently occurred to me; so I thought it wise to go on a little further, and I made the best of my way to Saardam, and here I am.

  3. 790

    So now you know my secret, and I think I may trust you; for I have an idea that you are yourself in some scrape of the same sort.

  4. 791

    I a deserter! most absurd!

  1. 792

    Well, I have always felt there was some mystery about you.

  2. 793

    But when you return home you will keep my secret? for if any of the Czar's agents knew my story, it might be a serious matter for me.

  3. 794

    The Czar shall never know more of it than he does at this moment, if I can prevent it.

  4. 795

    But he has a queer way, they say, of finding out all sorts of things.

  1. 796

    What a hard, cruel man, to make a law that a poor fellow must be shot, because he has no talent for soldiering!

  2. 797

    Come, don't abuse our Czar. I would willingly fight any man who speaks evil of him;

  3. 798

    and though I have no desire to serve in his army, I often wish I were serving him in some other way.

  4. 799

    Remember, old comrade, you are the only mortal to whom I have told my secret.

  5. 800

    Trust me; I shall never betray you, and some day, who knows what may happen, I may be able to prove myself your friend.

Lesson 42: Adjectives formed by vowel-change

Adjectives from strong verbs

Some adjectives grew directly from the root of a strong verb. Blank, white, comes from blinken. Brak, brackish, comes from breken.

The list groups these adjectives by the class of their verb. Each entry gives the verb, then the adjective, then the English.

Laag, low, comes from liggen. Vlug, quick, comes from vliegen. In each entry, look for the verb behind the adjective.

  1. 801

    white

  2. 802

    slender

  3. 803

    brackish

  4. 804

    hollow

  5. 805

    capable

Adjectives formed by vowel-change

Just as with the nouns, some adjectives arose directly from the root of a strong verb.

I. Class. Blinken: blank white; slinken: slank slender.
II. Class. Breken: brak brackish; helen: hol hollow; komen: bekwaam capable; nemen: aangenaam agreeable; steken: stuk broken.
III. Class. Geven: gaaf sound; liggen: laag low.
IV. Class. Bijten: bitter bitter; blijken: bleek pale; dijen: dicht close, dik thick; rijzen: rijzig tall; slijten: sleets wearing away soon.
V. Class. Vliegen: vlug quick; (ver)liezen: los loose, loos empty.
VI. Class. Malen: mul loose (mul zand).

A few from the list
blank                white
slank                slender
brak                 brackish
hol                  hollow
bekwaam              capable
aangenaam            agreeable
stuk                 broken
gaaf                 sound
laag                 low
bitter               bitter
The adjective-forming suffixes

The suffixes, by means of which adjectives are formed, are: -en, -ig or -erig, -isch or -sch.
The suffix -en for materials

The suffix -en forms from names of materials adjectives denoting the material a thing is made of.

Garen of yarn, gouden or gulden gold(en), houten wooden, ijzeren iron, koperen copper, linnen linen, loden leaden, zilveren silver.
The suffixes -ig, -erig

Adjectives with -ig are derived from substantives: bestendig steady, bokkig surly, kippig near-sighted, lastig troublesome, machtig mighty, wettig lawful. Verbs: begerig covetous, geldig legal, nalatig negligent. Numerals, adjectives or participles: enig only, goedig good-natured, levendig lively. Adverbs: innig cordial, nederig humble, vorig former.

Derivatives with -erig generally have an unfavourable meaning: beverig shaky, slaperig sleepy, stoterig jerky, weelderig luxurious, winderig vain (cf. windig windy), zangerig melodious.

Adjectives such as godsdienstig religious, staatkundig political, taalkundig philological are used strictly for persons, but they also occur in expressions such as: een godsdienstige beweging a religious movement, op staatkundig gebied in politics, een taalkundig tijdschrift a philological periodical.

A few from the list
bestendig            steady
bokkig               surly
kippig               near-sighted
lastig               troublesome
machtig              mighty
wettig               lawful
begerig              covetous
geldig               legal
nalatig              negligent
enig                 only
The suffix -isch

The suffix -isch occurs: In the Dutch adjectives: afgodisch idolatrous and wettisch sticking slavishly to the law. In derivatives from foreign words: geografisch geographical, grammatisch grammatical, mathematisch mathematical. In derivatives from names of countries, cities or nations: Frankisch, Moscovisch, Pruisisch, Russisch, Saksisch. In all other derivatives i is dropped; they have the suffix -s: Beiers Bavarian, Duits German, Fries Frisian.
The suffix -sch

Adjectives with -s denote: A relation with the principal word. Hoofs courtly, steeds townish, trots haughty. The genitive form of the principal word. Boers clownish, vaderlands patriotic. The material things are made of. Duffels duffel, lakens (of) cloth, neteldoeks (of) muslin. From the names of the days of the week are formed: zondags, maandags, dinsdags etc. Derivatives from adverbs ending in s have s doubled to sh in writing no longer, they simply add s: daags from (des) daags daily, vergeefs from vergeefs vain etc.
Formation of adjectives by composition: obsolete particles, now prefixes

The old particles ge, on, aarts are now used as prefixes. The prefix be in the adjectives bekwaam able, bereid ready, bestand proof etc. belongs to the verb from which they have been derived. Bewust (conscious of) has been borrowed from the German.
The prefix ge- for adjectives

Ge originally signified together, as in gelijk equal. Now it has lost much of its meaning; often it has a strengthening force only.

Gestreng or streng severe, getrouw or trouw faithful, gewillig or willig willing, gewis or wis sure; cf.: dienstig useful, gedienstig officious.
The prefix on-

On denotes a negation.

Onbreekbaar unbreakable, onhandig clumsy, ondiep shallow.

In some compounds with on the principal words have gone out of use.

Onguur rough, onnozel silly, onstuimig impetuous, ondeugend naughty.
The prefix aarts-

Aarts is put before some adjectives to denote a bad quality in its highest degree.

Aartsdom extremely stupid, aartslui exceedingly lazy; cf.: aartsvaderlijk patriarchal.
Obsolete particles, now suffixes

The obsolete particles which are now used as suffixes are: achtig, haftig, achtig, baar, lijk, loos, zaam.
Achtig (accented) and haftig

Achtig (accented) and haftig signify the having or possessing of what the primitive word denotes.

Deelachtig participating, twijfelachtig doubtful, waarachtig true; ernstig grave, heldhaftig heroic, manhaftig manly.
The unaccented suffix -achtig

Adjectives with the unaccented achtig (= acht + ig) are formed: From substantives, denoting resemblance: beestachtig beastly, ezelachtig stupid, kinderachtig childish, olieachtig oily, steenachtig stony. From adjectives, denoting the form or colour: groenachtig greenish, oudachtig oldish, zwartachtig blackish. From the root of a verb, denoting an inclination: schrikachtig easily frightened, snoepachtig lickerish, spotachtig jeering, mocking.
The suffix -baar

Baar signifies bearing in oneself, producing. Adjectives with baar are formed from substantives or from roots of verbs.

Dankbaar thankful, eerbaar honest, vruchtbaar fertile, kostbaar costly, schijnbaar apparent; deelbaar divisible, draagbaar portable, rekbaar extensible, zichtbaar visible.
The suffix -lijk

Lijk signifies origin, resemblance or agreement. Adjectives with lijk are formed: From substantives: lichamelijk bodily, menselijk human, zedelijk moral. From adjectives: goelijk kindly, liefelijk charming, ouwelijk oldish. From adverbs: achterlijk backward, innerlijk inward, uiterlijk outward. From roots of verbs: beminnelijk amiable, sterfelijk mortal, vermakelijk diverting.

Verbal roots with lijk are not to be confused with those composed with baar: draaglijk supportable or tolerable, draagbaar portable or wearable; onverbrekelijk is something which must not be violated, onverbreekbaar something which cannot be violated; verkieslijk preferable, verkiesbaar eligible.

A few from the list
lichamelijk          bodily
menselijk            human
zedelijk             moral
goelijk              kindly
liefelijk            charming
ouwelijk             oldish
achterlijk           backward
innerlijk            inward
uiterlijk            outward
beminnelijk          amiable
The suffix -loos

Loos signifies deprived or devoid of.

Eerloos infamous, hulpeloos helpless, reddeloos irrecoverable, werkloos inactive, zielloos inanimate; also goddeloos wicked, impious.
The suffix -zaam

Zaam denotes a relation, resemblance, an equality.

Bedachtzaam considerate, eerzaam honourable, heilzaam salutary, langzaam slow, zorgzaam careful, buigzaam flexible, gehoorzaam obedient, lijdzaam patient.
Compounds with a noun that are not true compounds

Adjectives compounded with a noun are not real compounds if the noun has a declension-ending, or if both words may also be used separately, such as: achtingswaardig or achtenswaardig respectable, eervol (= vol eer) honourable, lofwaardig (= lof waardig) praise-worthy.
Real compounds with nouns

The real compounds with nouns denote several relations with the primitive word.

Bomvrij (= vrij voor bommen) bomb-proof, schaduwrijk (= rijk aan schaduw) shady, schijnheilig (= heilig in schijn) hypocritical, stokoud (= te oud om zonder stok te lopen) very old, zeeziek (= ziek van de zee) sea-sick.

Some compounds denote a quality which is already expressed by the adjective itself.

Grasgroen grass-green, ijzersterk strong as iron, melkwit milk-white, reuzegroot gigantic, rozerood rose-coloured, steenhard as hard as stone, stokdoof stone-deaf; and with an inserted s: doodsbleek deadly pale, hemelsblauw sky-blue.
The suffix -matig

Adjectives with matig denote a conformity to what is expressed by the noun.

Doelmatig suitable to, instinctmatig instinctively, kunstmatig artificial, plichtmatig attentive to one's duty, rechtmatig lawful, regelmatig regular, toneelmatig theatrical.
Compounds with vol

Nearly all the compounds with vol (full, cf.: hoopvol hopeful) are rendered in English by other words.

Berouwvol repentant, eervol honourable, gevaarvol hazardous, gevoelvol heart-felt, liefdevol charitable, talentvol talented, troostvol consoling.
Two adjectives compounded together

Two adjectives always form real compounds. The qualifying part denotes the degree of the quality or it adds a completing qualification to the primitive word.

Alleen alone, almachtig almighty, langdurig lasting, menigvuldig manifold, voltallig complete; also blauwzwart blue-black, donkerrood or hoogrood dark-red, grijsgroen gray-green, lichtgroen light-green, vaalwit pale white.

As titles were used: Edelachtbaar honourable, (Uw) Edelgrootachtbare most worthy, Edelgeboren noble; these forms of address are historical and no longer used.
Adjective compounded with the root of a verb

Some adjectives are compounded with the root of a verb.

Fonkelnieuw bran-new, kakelbont motley, merkwaardig remarkable, weetgierig inquisitive; beminnenswaardig amiable, betreurenswaardig deplorable, dankenswaardig thank-worthy, deerniswaardig pitiable.

Such with ziek have an unfavourable meaning.

Babbelziek talkative, behaagziek coquettish, twistziek quarrelsome, vitziek cavilling etc.
Adjectives with adverbs

Wel: welzalig blessed, and in older titles: Weledel honourable, Weledelgeboren right honourable, Weleerwaard or Zeereerwaard reverend (forms of address now confined to very formal or ecclesiastical letters).

Compounds with the accented particles door, in, over denote the highest degree of the signification of the adjective.

Doorgoed extremely good-natured, doorkoud very cold, doornat wet through, doorrijp thoroughly ripe; inbitter very bitter, inbruin very brown, inschoon most beautiful; overaardig very pretty, overoud very old, overvol over-full.
Adjectives compounded after derivation

Some adjectives are compounded after having been derived by means of the suffixes -ig and -s.

Rechtvaardig just, viervoetig quadruped, zwartharig black-haired; alledaags quotidian, daily, onderaards subterraneous, vierdraads four-thread.
Substantives used adjectively

A few substantives are used as adjectives. Meester in the expression meester zijn, to be in possession of; vrede in the compound tevreden, content, and in the negation ontevreden, discontented. Also words derived from geographical names by means of -er: Haarlemmer, Leipziger etc.
Participles used adjectively

The number of participles used as adjectives is much greater, as we have already seen in Lesson 33. After the analogy of past participles formed from substantival verbs, adjectives have been formed directly from substantives by means of d or t.

Gebloemd flowered, gedast with a necktie, geharnast in armour, gelaarsd en gespoord booted and spurred, genaamd called, gerokt with a dress-coat.

Such words may still be qualified by an adjective or by an adverb.

Breedgeschouderd broad-shouldered, snelgewiekt fast-winged, witgedast with a white necktie, zwartgerokt with a black dress-coat; bijgenaamd surnamed.
Derivatives from geographical names

The following derivatives (nouns and adjectives) from much used geographical names should be noticed.

Abyssinië         Abyssinia
de Abyssiniër     Abyssinia (an inhabitant)
Abyssinisch       Abyssinia (adjective)
Afrika            Africa
de Afrikaan       Africa (an inhabitant)
Afrikaans         Africa (adjective)
Albanië           Albania
de Albanees       Albania (an inhabitant)
Albanisch         Albania (adjective)
Alexandrië        Alexandria
de Alexandriër    Alexandria (an inhabitant)
Alexandrijns      Alexandria (adjective)
Algiers           Algiers
de Algerijn       Algiers (an inhabitant)
Algerijns         Algiers (adjective)
Amerika           America
de Amerikaan      America (an inhabitant)
Amerikaans        America (adjective)
Arabië            Arabia
de Arabier        Arabia (an inhabitant)
Arabisch          Arabia (adjective)
Athene            Athens
de Athener        Athens (an inhabitant)
Atheens           Athens (adjective)
Australië         Australia
de Australiër     Australia (an inhabitant)
Australisch       Australia (adjective)
Batavia           Batavia
de Batavier       Batavia (an inhabitant)
Bataviaans        Batavia (adjective)
Beieren           Bavaria
de Beier          Bavaria (an inhabitant)
Beiers            Bavaria (adjective)
België            Belgium
de Belg           Belgium (an inhabitant)
Belgisch          Belgium (adjective)
Berlijn           Berlin
de Berlijner      Berlin (an inhabitant)
Berlijns          Berlin (adjective)
Bohemen           Bohemia
de Bohemer        Bohemia (an inhabitant)
Boheems           Bohemia (adjective)
Brazilië          Brazil
de Braziliaan     Brazil (an inhabitant)
Braziliaans       Brazil (adjective)
Groot-Brittannië  Britain
de Brit           Britain (an inhabitant)
Brits             Britain (adjective)
Bulgarije         Bulgaria
de Bulgaar        Bulgaria (an inhabitant)
Bulgaars          Bulgaria (adjective)
China             China
de Chinees        China (an inhabitant)
Chinees           China (adjective)
Keulen            Cologne
de Keulenaar      Cologne (an inhabitant)
Keuls             Cologne (adjective)
Denemarken        Denmark
de Deen           Denmark (an inhabitant)
Deens             Denmark (adjective)
Duitsland         Germany
de Duitser        Germany (an inhabitant)
Duits             Germany (adjective)
Oost-Indië        the East-Indies
de Oost-Indiër    the East-Indies (an inhabitant)
Oostindisch       the East-Indies (adjective)
Egypte            Egypt
de Egyptenaar     Egypt (an inhabitant)
Egyptisch         Egypt (adjective)
Engeland          England
de Engelsman      England (an inhabitant)
Engels            England (adjective)
Europa            Europe
de Europeaan      Europe (an inhabitant)
Europees          Europe (adjective)
Frankrijk         France
de Fransman       France (an inhabitant)
Frans             France (adjective)
Vlaanderen        Flanders
de Vlaming        Flanders (an inhabitant)
Vlaams            Flanders (adjective)
Friesland         Friesland
de Fries          Friesland (an inhabitant)
Fries             Friesland (adjective)
Gascogne          Gascony
de Gasconjer      Gascony (an inhabitant)
Gasconisch        Gascony (adjective)
Gallië            Gaul
de Gallier        Gaul (an inhabitant)
Gallisch          Gaul (adjective)
Genua             Genoa
de Genuees        Genoa (an inhabitant)
Genuees           Genoa (adjective)
Griekenland       Greece
de Griek          Greece (an inhabitant)
Grieks            Greece (adjective)
Hannover          Hanover
de Hannoveraan    Hanover (an inhabitant)
Hannoveraans      Hanover (adjective)
Holland           Holland
de Hollander      Holland (an inhabitant)
Hollands          Holland (adjective)
Hongarije         Hungary
de Hongaar        Hungary (an inhabitant)
Hongaars          Hungary (adjective)
Ierland           Ireland
de Ier            Ireland (an inhabitant)
Iers              Ireland (adjective)
Japan             Japan
de Japanner       Japan (an inhabitant)
Japans            Japan (adjective)
Java              Java
de Javaan         Java (an inhabitant)
Javaans           Java (adjective)
Malta             Malta
de Maltezer       Malta (an inhabitant)
Maltees           Malta (adjective)
Milaan            Milan
de Milanees       Milan (an inhabitant)
Milanees          Milan (adjective)
Napels            Naples
de Napolitaan     Naples (an inhabitant)
Napolitaans       Naples (adjective)
Nederland         the Netherlands
de Nederlander    the Netherlands (an inhabitant)
Nederlands        the Netherlands (adjective)
Oostenrijk        Austria
de Oostenrijker   Austria (an inhabitant)
Oostenrijks       Austria (adjective)
Parijs            Paris
de Parijzenaar    Paris (an inhabitant)
Parijse           Paris (adjective)
Perzië            Persia
de Pers           Persia (an inhabitant)
Perzisch          Persia (adjective)
Portugal          Portugal
de Portugees      Portugal (an inhabitant)
Portugees         Portugal (adjective)
Pruisen           Prussia
de Pruis          Prussia (an inhabitant)
Pruisisch         Prussia (adjective)
Rome              Rome
de Romein         Rome (an inhabitant)
Romeins           Rome (adjective)
Rusland           Russia
de Rus            Russia (an inhabitant)
Russisch          Russia (adjective)
Saksen            Saxony
de Saks           Saxony (an inhabitant)
Saksisch          Saxony (adjective)
Schotland         Scotland
de Schot          Scotland (an inhabitant)
Schots            Scotland (adjective)
Servië            Servia
de Serviër        Servia (an inhabitant)
Servisch          Servia (adjective)
Spanje            Spain
de Spanjaard      Spain (an inhabitant)
Spaans            Spain (adjective)
Turkije           Turkey
de Turk           Turkey (an inhabitant)
Turks             Turkey (adjective)
Wenen             Vienna
de Wener          Vienna (an inhabitant)
Weens             Vienna (adjective)
Westfalen         Westphalia
de Westfaal       Westphalia (an inhabitant)
Westfaals         Westphalia (adjective)
West-Indië        the West-Indies
de West-Indiër    the West-Indies (an inhabitant)
Westindisch       the West-Indies (adjective)
Zeeland           Zeeland
de Zeeuw          Zeeland (an inhabitant)
Zeeuws            Zeeland (adjective)
Zwaben            Swabia
de Zwaab          Swabia (an inhabitant)
Zwabisch          Swabia (adjective)
Zweden            Sweden
de Zweed          Sweden (an inhabitant)
Zweeds            Sweden (adjective)
Zwitserland       Switzerland
de Zwitser        Switzerland (an inhabitant)
Zwitsers          Switzerland (adjective)

A few from the list
Abyssinië            Abyssinia
de Abyssiniër        Abyssinia (an inhabitant)
Abyssinisch          Abyssinia (adjective)
Afrika               Africa
de Afrikaan          Africa (an inhabitant)
Afrikaans            Africa (adjective)
Albanië              Albania
de Albanees          Albania (an inhabitant)
Albanisch            Albania (adjective)
Alexandrië           Alexandria
  1. 806

    agreeable

  2. 807

    broken

  3. 808

    sound

  4. 809

    low

  5. 810

    bitter

  1. 811

    pale

  2. 812

    close

  3. 813

    thick

  4. 814

    tall

Lesson 42: The suffix -en for materials

En names the material

The suffix en turns the name of a material into an adjective. The adjective says what a thing is made of.

Houten means wooden. Zilveren means silver. Ijzeren means iron. Linnen means linen.

Gouden and gulden both mean golden. Dutch has two forms for that one meaning.

  1. 815

    of yarn

  2. 816

    golden

  3. 817

    golden

  4. 818

    wooden

  5. 819

    iron

  1. 820

    copper

  2. 821

    linen

  3. 822

    leaden

  4. 823

    silver

Lesson 42: The suffixes -ig, -erig

Ig makes an adjective from many words

The suffix ig builds adjectives from several kinds of word. The source can be a noun, a verb, a number, an adjective, a participle or an adverb.

Lastig, troublesome, comes from a noun. Geldig, legal, comes from a verb. Vorig, former, comes from an adverb.

Erig and the adjectives for persons

The suffix erig generally gives an unfavourable meaning. Slaperig means sleepy. Stoterig means jerky. Beverig means shaky.

Some ig adjectives, such as godsdienstig, religious, and taalkundig, philological, are used strictly for persons.

They also occur in some expressions. Een godsdienstige beweging is a religious movement. Op staatkundig gebied means in politics.

The suffixes -ig, -erig

Adjectives such as godsdienstig religious, staatkundig political, taalkundig philological are used strictly for persons, but they also occur in expressions such as: een godsdienstige beweging a religious movement, op staatkundig gebied in politics, een taalkundig tijdschrift a philological periodical.

  1. 824

    steady

  2. 825

    surly

  3. 826

    near-sighted

  4. 827

    troublesome

  5. 828

    mighty

  1. 829

    lawful

  2. 830

    covetous

  3. 831

    legal

  4. 832

    negligent

  5. 833

    only

  1. 834

    good-natured

  2. 835

    lively

  3. 836

    cordial

  4. 837

    humble

Lesson 42: The suffix -isch

Isch and the dropped i

The suffix isch appears in three places. Two Dutch adjectives use it: afgodisch and wettisch. Adjectives from foreign words use it, as in geografisch and grammatisch.

Adjectives from the names of countries, cities and nations use it too. Pruisisch, Russisch and Saksisch are examples.

In all other adjectives of this kind the i drops, and the suffix is s. Duits means German. Fries means Frisian. Beiers means Bavarian.

  1. 838

    idolatrous

  2. 839

    sticking slavishly to the law

  3. 840

    geographical

  4. 841

    grammatical

  5. 842

    mathematical

  1. 843

    Frankish

  2. 844

    Muscovite

  3. 845

    Prussian

  4. 846

    Russian

  5. 847

    Saxon

  1. 848

    Bavarian

  2. 849

    German

  3. 850

    Frisian

Lesson 42: The suffix -sch

Adjectives with s

The suffix s forms adjectives that show a relation to the main word. Hoofs means courtly, and trots means haughty.

Some have the genitive form of the main word. Boers means clownish. Vaderlands means patriotic.

Others name a material. Duffels means duffel. The days of the week take s too: zondags means of Sunday.

Adverbs ending in s

An adjective from an adverb that already ends in s no longer doubles the s in writing. It adds one s only.

Daags means daily, from des daags. Vergeefs means vain.

  1. 851

    courtly

  2. 852

    townish

  3. 853

    haughty

  4. 854

    clownish

  5. 855

    patriotic

  1. 856

    duffel

  2. 857

    of cloth

  3. 858

    of muslin

  4. 859

    of Sunday

  5. 860

    of Monday

  1. 861

    of Tuesday

  2. 862

    daily

  3. 863

    vain

Lesson 42: Formation of adjectives by composition: obsolete particles, now prefixes

Old words now used as prefixes

Ge, on and aarts were once small words of their own. Now they are prefixes on adjectives.

The be in bekwaam, able, and bereid, ready, is a different case. It belongs to the verb the adjective came from.

Bewust, conscious of, was borrowed from German.

  1. 864

    able

  2. 865

    ready

  3. 866

    proof

  4. 867

    conscious of

Lesson 42: The prefix ge- for adjectives

Ge adds strength

Ge once meant together, as in gelijk, equal. Now it has lost much of that meaning. Often it only makes the word stronger.

Many adjectives exist with and without it. Gestreng and streng both mean severe. Getrouw and trouw both mean faithful. Gewillig and willig both mean willing.

Some pairs differ in meaning. Dienstig means useful. Gedienstig means officious.

  1. 868

    equal

  2. 869

    severe

  3. 870

    severe

  4. 871

    faithful

  5. 872

    faithful

  1. 873

    willing

  2. 874

    willing

  3. 875

    sure

  4. 876

    sure

  5. 877

    useful

  6. 878

    officious

Lesson 42: The prefix on-

On makes the opposite

The prefix on gives a negation. It turns an adjective into its opposite.

Onbreekbaar means unbreakable. Onhandig means clumsy. Ondiep means shallow.

In some words the main word has gone out of use. Onguur means rough, and onnozel means silly. Onstuimig means impetuous, and ondeugend means naughty.

  1. 879

    unbreakable

  2. 880

    clumsy

  3. 881

    shallow

  4. 882

    rough

  5. 883

    silly

  1. 884

    impetuous

  2. 885

    naughty

Lesson 42: The prefix aarts- (and 1 more)

Aarts for the worst degree

The prefix aarts goes before some adjectives. It marks a bad quality at its highest degree.

Aartsdom means extremely stupid. Aartslui means exceedingly lazy.

Aartsvaderlijk, patriarchal, is a different case. It does not mark a bad quality.

Six old words now used as suffixes

Some old particles now serve as suffixes on adjectives. They are achtig, haftig, baar, lijk, loos and zaam.

Achtig comes in two kinds: one with the stress on it and one without. The two have different meanings.

  1. 886

    extremely stupid

  2. 887

    exceedingly lazy

  3. 888

    patriarchal

Lesson 42: Achtig (accented) and haftig

Achtig and haftig mean having

The accented achtig and the suffix haftig say that something has or possesses what the first word names.

Deelachtig means participating. Twijfelachtig means doubtful. Waarachtig means true.

Heldhaftig means heroic, and manhaftig means manly. In both, the person has the quality of the first word.

  1. 889

    participating

  2. 890

    doubtful

  3. 891

    true

  4. 892

    grave

  5. 893

    heroic

  6. 894

    manly

Lesson 42: The unaccented suffix -achtig

Three uses of unaccented achtig

The unaccented achtig has three uses, and each depends on the source word.

From a noun it shows resemblance. Kinderachtig means childish. Steenachtig means stony.

From an adjective it shows form or colour. Groenachtig means greenish. Oudachtig means oldish.

From the root of a verb it shows an inclination. Schrikachtig means easily frightened.

  1. 895

    beastly

  2. 896

    stupid

  3. 897

    childish

  4. 898

    oily

  5. 899

    stony

  1. 900

    greenish

  2. 901

    oldish

  3. 902

    blackish

  4. 903

    easily frightened

  5. 904

    lickerish

  6. 905

    jeering, mocking

Lesson 42: The suffix -baar

Baar means bearing or producing

The suffix baar means bearing in oneself, or producing. It forms adjectives from nouns and from the roots of verbs.

From nouns: dankbaar means thankful, and vruchtbaar means fertile.

From roots of verbs: deelbaar means divisible, and zichtbaar means visible. Draagbaar means portable.

  1. 906

    thankful

  2. 907

    honest

  3. 908

    fertile

  4. 909

    costly

  5. 910

    apparent

  1. 911

    divisible

  2. 912

    portable

  3. 913

    extensible

  4. 914

    visible

Lesson 42: The suffix -lijk

Lijk shows origin or resemblance

The suffix lijk signifies origin, resemblance or agreement. It attaches to nouns, adjectives, adverbs and the roots of verbs.

From nouns: lichamelijk means bodily, and menselijk means human. From adjectives: liefelijk means charming. From adverbs: uiterlijk means outward. From roots of verbs: sterfelijk means mortal.

Lijk and baar on one verb

On the root of a verb, lijk and baar give different meanings. Do not confuse them.

Draaglijk means supportable or tolerable. Draagbaar means portable or wearable.

Onverbrekelijk is something which must not be violated. Onverbreekbaar is something which cannot be violated.

Verkieslijk means preferable. Verkiesbaar means eligible.

  1. 915

    bodily

  2. 916

    human

  3. 917

    moral

  4. 918

    kindly

  5. 919

    charming

  1. 920

    oldish

  2. 921

    backward

  3. 922

    inward

  4. 923

    outward

  5. 924

    amiable

  1. 925

    mortal

  2. 926

    diverting

  3. 927

    supportable, tolerable

  4. 928

    must not be violated

Lesson 42: The suffix -loos

Loos means without

The suffix loos signifies deprived or devoid of.

Werkloos means inactive. Zielloos means inanimate. Hulpeloos means helpless.

Goddeloos has two meanings, wicked and impious.

  1. 929

    infamous

  2. 930

    helpless

  3. 931

    irrecoverable

  4. 932

    inactive

  5. 933

    inanimate

  6. 934

    wicked, impious

Lesson 42: The suffix -zaam

Zaam shows relation or likeness

The suffix zaam denotes a relation, a resemblance or an equality.

Langzaam means slow. Zorgzaam means careful. Heilzaam means salutary. Buigzaam means flexible.

  1. 935

    considerate

  2. 936

    honourable

  3. 937

    salutary

  4. 938

    slow

  5. 939

    careful

  1. 940

    flexible

  2. 941

    obedient

  3. 942

    patient

Lesson 42: Compounds with a noun that are not true compounds

Compounds that are not real compounds

Some adjectives look like one compound but are not a real one.

This happens when the noun carries an ending of its own. It also happens when both words can still be used separately.

Eervol is vol eer written as one word. Lofwaardig is lof waardig. Each means the same as the two words apart.

Achtingswaardig and achtenswaardig both mean respectable.

  1. 943

    respectable

  2. 944

    respectable

  3. 945

    honourable

  4. 946

    praise-worthy

Lesson 42: Real compounds with nouns

Real compounds with a noun

In a real compound the noun relates to the adjective in several ways. Each compound can be said again as a phrase.

Bomvrij is vrij voor bommen, and it means bomb-proof. Schaduwrijk is rijk aan schaduw, and it means shady. Zeeziek is ziek van de zee, and it means sea-sick.

Schijnheilig is heilig in schijn, and it means hypocritical.

Compounds that repeat the quality

Some compounds name a quality that the adjective already expresses.

Grasgroen means grass-green. Melkwit means milk-white. Steenhard means hard as stone. Stokdoof means stone-deaf.

Some take an inserted s. Doodsbleek means deadly pale, and hemelsblauw means sky-blue.

  1. 947

    bomb-proof

  2. 948

    shady

  3. 949

    hypocritical

  4. 950

    very old

  5. 951

    sea-sick

  1. 952

    grass-green

  2. 953

    strong as iron

  3. 954

    milk-white

  4. 955

    gigantic

  5. 956

    rose-coloured

  1. 957

    hard as stone

  2. 958

    stone-deaf

  3. 959

    deadly pale

  4. 960

    sky-blue

Lesson 42: The suffix -matig

Matig means in line with

The suffix matig shows that something conforms to what the noun names.

Regelmatig means regular. Kunstmatig means artificial. Rechtmatig means lawful. Plichtmatig means attentive to one's duty.

  1. 961

    suitable to

  2. 962

    instinctively

  3. 963

    artificial

  4. 964

    attentive to one's duty

  5. 965

    lawful

  1. 966

    regular

  2. 967

    theatrical

Lesson 42: Compounds with vol

Vol is rendered by other words

Vol means full. Hoopvol is hopeful, and the English follows the Dutch.

Nearly all other compounds with vol need a different English word.

Berouwvol means repentant. Eervol means honourable. Liefdevol means charitable. Troostvol means consoling.

  1. 968

    hopeful

  2. 969

    repentant

  3. 970

    honourable

  4. 971

    hazardous

  5. 972

    heart-felt

  1. 973

    charitable

  2. 974

    talented

  3. 975

    consoling

Lesson 42: Two adjectives compounded together

Two adjectives in one word

Two adjectives always form a real compound. The first part gives the degree of the quality, or it adds a further quality to the second.

Blauwzwart means blue-black. Donkerrood means dark-red. Lichtgroen means light-green. Grijsgroen means gray-green.

Almachtig means almighty, and langdurig means lasting.

Old forms of address

Titles such as Edelachtbaar, Edelgrootachtbare and Edelgeboren were once adjective compounds.

These forms of address are historical and no longer used.

  1. 976

    alone

  2. 977

    almighty

  3. 978

    lasting

  4. 979

    manifold

  5. 980

    complete

  1. 981

    blue-black

  2. 982

    dark-red

  3. 983

    dark-red

  4. 984

    gray-green

  5. 985

    light-green

  6. 986

    pale white

Lesson 42: Adjective compounded with the root of a verb

Adjectives on the root of a verb

Some adjectives start with the root of a verb. Merkwaardig means remarkable. Weetgierig means inquisitive. Kakelbont means motley.

Those that end in ziek have an unfavourable meaning. Babbelziek means talkative. Twistziek means quarrelsome. Behaagziek means coquettish.

  1. 987

    bran-new

  2. 988

    motley

  3. 989

    remarkable

  4. 990

    inquisitive

  5. 991

    amiable

  1. 992

    deplorable

  2. 993

    thank-worthy

  3. 994

    pitiable

  4. 995

    talkative

  5. 996

    coquettish

  1. 997

    quarrelsome

  2. 998

    cavilling

Lesson 42: Adjectives with adverbs

Adverbs before an adjective

Some adjectives take an adverb in front. Wel gives welzalig, blessed.

Older titles with wel are forms of address. They are now confined to very formal or church letters.

The accented door, in and over mark the highest degree of the adjective. Doorkoud means very cold. Doornat means wet through. Inbitter means very bitter. Overvol means over-full.

  1. 999

    blessed

  2. 1000

    extremely good-natured

  3. 1001

    very cold

  4. 1002

    wet through

  5. 1003

    thoroughly ripe

  1. 1004

    very bitter

  2. 1005

    very brown

  3. 1006

    most beautiful

  4. 1007

    very pretty

  5. 1008

    very old

  6. 1009

    over-full

Lesson 42: Adjectives compounded after derivation

Two steps to one adjective

Some adjectives were first made with the suffix ig or s. Then a word was joined in front.

Rechtvaardig means just. Viervoetig means quadruped. Zwartharig means black-haired.

With s: alledaags means quotidian or daily. Onderaards means subterraneous. Vierdraads means four-thread.

  1. 1010

    just

  2. 1011

    quadruped

  3. 1012

    black-haired

  4. 1013

    quotidian, daily

  5. 1014

    subterraneous

  6. 1015

    four-thread

Lesson 42: Substantives used adjectively

A noun used as an adjective

A few nouns work as adjectives.

Meester in meester zijn means to be in possession of. Vrede is inside tevreden, which means content, and inside ontevreden, which means discontented.

Words made from geographical names with er also work this way. Haarlemmer means of Haarlem. Leipziger means of Leipzig.

  1. 1016

    to be in possession of

  2. 1017

    content

  3. 1018

    discontented

  4. 1019

    of Haarlem

  5. 1020

    of Leipzig

Lesson 42: Participles used adjectively

Participles as adjectives

Many participles work as adjectives.

Like the past participle of a verb, Dutch also forms adjectives straight from nouns. The ending is d or t.

Gebloemd means flowered. Gedast means with a necktie. Geharnast means in armour. Gerokt means with a dress-coat.

Such words may still take an adjective or an adverb in front. Zwartgerokt means with a black dress-coat. Snelgewiekt means fast-winged.

  1. 1021

    flowered

  2. 1022

    with a necktie

  3. 1023

    in armour

  4. 1024

    booted and spurred

  5. 1025

    called

  1. 1026

    with a dress-coat

  2. 1027

    broad-shouldered

  3. 1028

    fast-winged

  4. 1029

    with a white necktie

  5. 1030

    with a black dress-coat

  6. 1031

    surnamed

Lesson 42: Derivatives from geographical names

How to read the list of place names

The list gives a place, then a person from that place, then the adjective. Each line has three words in that order.

Take the line for Duitsland. After the country come Duitser, a person from there, and Duits, the adjective.

Spanje is the country. A Spanjaard is a person from there. Spaans is the adjective.

Some lines give one form twice, because the person and the adjective are the same word.

Derivatives from geographical names

The following derivatives (nouns and adjectives) from much used geographical names should be noticed.

  1. 1032

    Abyssinia

  2. 1033

    Algiers (an inhabitant)

  3. 1034

    Australia (adjective)

  4. 1035

    Bohemia

  5. 1036

    China (an inhabitant)

  1. 1037

    the East-Indies (adjective)

  2. 1038

    Flanders

  3. 1039

    Genoa (an inhabitant)

  4. 1040

    Hungary (adjective)

  5. 1041

    Milan

  1. 1042

    Paris (an inhabitant)

  2. 1043

    Rome (adjective)

  3. 1044

    Spain

  4. 1045

    the West-Indies (an inhabitant)

De poppenkast (vervolg)

  1. 1046

    The puppet show (continued)

  2. 1047

    That is no small thing!

  3. 1048

    And when afterward the gendarme comes, who has sentenced him to death by the noose as punishment for all his misdeeds, I ask you, does his cool-bloodedness leave him for a moment?

  4. 1049

    The gallows is planted, the noose hangs on it with the little slide to be pulled tight.

  1. 1050

    One more moment, and he is lost, but he does not understand the matter, it seems, and the credulous gendarme is forced to show him how he must put his head through the noose.

  2. 1051

    But right there our Jan Klaassen is waiting for him: no sooner is the head in than he pulls the loop shut, and now watch how he triumphantly pulls the gallows out of the ground, throws the gendarme, hanging from it, over the edge of the stage, and now, amid the thunderous cheering of the excited audience, spins him around like a windmill.

  3. 1052

    See, for that one scene I would give ten princes and princesses with velvet suits and gold braid.

Lesson 42: exercise 115

  1. 1053

    bitter

    bijten

  2. 1054

    bleek

    blijken

  3. 1055

    blank

    blinken

  4. 1056

    brak

    breken

  5. 1057

    dicht

    dijen

  6. 1058

    gaaf

    geven

  7. 1059

    hol

    helen

  1. 1060

    bekwaam

    komen

  2. 1061

    laag

    liggen

  3. 1062

    mul

    malen

  4. 1063

    aangenaam

    nemen

  5. 1064

    rijzig

    rijzen

  6. 1065

    sleets

    slijten

  7. 1066

    slank

    slinken

  1. 1067

    stuk

    steken

  2. 1068

    los

    verliezen

  3. 1069

    vlug

    vliegen

Lesson 42: exercise 116

  1. 1070

    afgodisch

    afgod

  2. 1071

    angstig

    angst

  3. 1072

    bedrijvig

    bedrijf

  4. 1073

    beverig

    beven

  5. 1074

    boers

    boer

  6. 1075

    daags

    daags

  7. 1076

    dienstig

    dienst

  1. 1077

    duffels

    duffel

  2. 1078

    ernstig

    ernst

  3. 1079

    gelukkig

    geluk

  4. 1080

    gewelddadig

    gewelddaad

  5. 1081

    godsdienstig

    godsdienst

  6. 1082

    goedig

    goed

  7. 1083

    grondig

    grond

  1. 1084

    gouden

    goud

  2. 1085

    houten

    hout

  3. 1086

    innig

    in

  4. 1087

    ijzeren

    ijzer

  5. 1088

    kippig

    kip

  6. 1089

    koperen

    koper

  7. 1090

    lakens

    laken

  1. 1091

    lastig

    last

  2. 1092

    levendig

    levend

  3. 1093

    machtig

    macht

  4. 1094

    nalatig

    nalaten

  5. 1095

    neteldoeks

    neteldoek

  6. 1096

    nuttig

    nut

  7. 1097

    slaperig

    slapen

  1. 1098

    steeds

    stad

  2. 1099

    bestendig

    stand

  3. 1100

    taalkundig

    taalkunde

  4. 1101

    vaderlands

    vaderland

  5. 1102

    verdrietig

    verdriet

  6. 1103

    vijandelijk

    vijand

  7. 1104

    vorig

    voor

  1. 1105

    vreesachtig

    vrees

  2. 1106

    weelderig

    weelde

  3. 1107

    wettelijk

    wet

  4. 1108

    winderig

    wind

  5. 1109

    zangerig

    zang

Lesson 42: exercise 117

  1. 1110

    Abyssinia

  2. 1111

    Africa

  3. 1112

    Albania

  1. 1113

    Alexandria

  2. 1114

    Algiers

  3. 1115

    America

  1. 1116

    Arabia

  2. 1117

    Athens

  3. 1118

    Australia

  4. 1119

    Batavia

  1. 1120

    Bavaria

  2. 1121

    Belgium

  3. 1122

    Berlin

  1. 1123

    Bohemia

  2. 1124

    Brazil

  3. 1125

    Britain

  1. 1126

    Bulgaria

  2. 1127

    China

  3. 1128

    Cologne

  1. 1129

    Denmark

  2. 1130

    Germany

  3. 1131

    the East-Indies

  4. 1132

    Egypt

  5. 1133

    England

  6. 1134

    Europe

  7. 1135

    France

  1. 1136

    Flanders

  2. 1137

    Friesland

  3. 1138

    Gascony

  4. 1139

    Gaul

  5. 1140

    Genoa

  1. 1141

    Greece

  2. 1142

    Hanover

  3. 1143

    Holland

  4. 1144

    Hungary

  1. 1145

    Ireland

  2. 1146

    Japan

  3. 1147

    Java

  1. 1148

    Malta

  2. 1149

    Milan

  3. 1150

    Naples

  4. 1151

    the Netherlands

  1. 1152

    Austria

  2. 1153

    Paris

  3. 1154

    Persia

  4. 1155

    Portugal

  1. 1156

    Prussia

  2. 1157

    Rome

  3. 1158

    Russia

  4. 1159

    Saxony

  5. 1160

    Scotland

  1. 1161

    Servia

  2. 1162

    Spain

  3. 1163

    Turkey

  1. 1164

    Vienna

  2. 1165

    Westphalia

  3. 1166

    the West-Indies

  1. 1167

    Zeeland

  2. 1168

    Swabia

  3. 1169

    Sweden

  4. 1170

    Switzerland

Lesson 42: exercise 118

  1. 1171

    Able

  2. 1172

    almighty

  3. 1173

    alone

  4. 1174

    amiable

  5. 1175

    apparent

  6. 1176

    artificially

  7. 1177

    backward

  1. 1178

    beastly

  2. 1179

    black-haired

  3. 1180

    blackish

  4. 1181

    blessed

  5. 1182

    bodily

  6. 1183

    bomb-proof

  7. 1184

    booted and spurred

  1. 1185

    bran-new

  2. 1186

    broad-shouldered

  3. 1187

    careful

  4. 1188

    cavilling

  5. 1189

    charitable

  6. 1190

    charming

  7. 1191

    childish

  1. 1192

    clumsy

  2. 1193

    complete

  3. 1194

    conscious (of)

  4. 1195

    considerate

  5. 1196

    consoling

  6. 1197

    content

  7. 1198

    coquettish

  1. 1199

    costly

  2. 1200

    dark-red

  3. 1201

    deplorable

  4. 1202

    discontented

  5. 1203

    diverting

  6. 1204

    divisible

  7. 1205

    doubtful

  1. 1206

    elderly

  2. 1207

    eligible

  3. 1208

    equal

  4. 1209

    extensible

  5. 1210

    faithful

  6. 1211

    fast-winged

  7. 1212

    fearful

  1. 1213

    fertile

  2. 1214

    flexible

  3. 1215

    four-thread

  4. 1216

    genteel

  5. 1217

    gigantic

  6. 1218

    grass-green

  7. 1219

    grave

  1. 1220

    greenish

  2. 1221

    hazardous

  3. 1222

    helpless

  4. 1223

    heroic

  5. 1224

    honest

  6. 1225

    honourable

  7. 1226

    human

  1. 1227

    hypocritical

  2. 1228

    inactive

  3. 1229

    infamous

  4. 1230

    infrangible

  5. 1231

    inquisitive

  6. 1232

    instinctively

  7. 1233

    inward

  1. 1234

    irrecoverable

  2. 1235

    jeering

  3. 1236

    just

  4. 1237

    lasting

  5. 1238

    lawful

  6. 1239

    lightgreen

  7. 1240

    lovely

  1. 1241

    manifold

  2. 1242

    manly

  3. 1243

    milkwhite

  4. 1244

    moral

  5. 1245

    mortal

  6. 1246

    motley

  7. 1247

    obedient

  1. 1248

    oily

  2. 1249

    oldish

  3. 1250

    outward

  4. 1251

    participating

  5. 1252

    patient

  6. 1253

    patriarchal

  7. 1254

    praise-worthy

  1. 1255

    preferable

  2. 1256

    proof

  3. 1257

    quadruped

  4. 1258

    quarrelsome

  5. 1259

    quotidian

  6. 1260

    ready

  7. 1261

    regular

  1. 1262

    remarkable

  2. 1263

    repentant

  3. 1264

    respectable

  4. 1265

    reverend

  5. 1266

    rough

  6. 1267

    sea-sick

  7. 1268

    sensible

  1. 1269

    severe

  2. 1270

    shadowy

  3. 1271

    shallow

  4. 1272

    silly

  5. 1273

    sky-blue

  6. 1274

    slow

  7. 1275

    stonedeaf

  1. 1276

    stony

  2. 1277

    subterraneous

  3. 1278

    suitable (to)

  4. 1279

    sure

  5. 1280

    surnamed

  6. 1281

    talkative

  7. 1282

    thankful

  1. 1283

    thank-worthy

  2. 1284

    theatrical

  3. 1285

    tolerable

  4. 1286

    true

  5. 1287

    useful

  6. 1288

    visible

  7. 1289

    wearable

  8. 1290

    willing

Lesson 42: exercise 119

  1. 1291

    O, Michael, must you leave us again so soon?

  2. 1292

    Yes, mother; I have stayed too long already. I came to see you and Katerina at the risk of my life; and, apart from the danger, if I remain longer I shall lose my situation at Saardam and all my hopes for the future.

  3. 1293

    You know I was made a soldier against my will, and hated the army life the more I saw of it.

  4. 1294

    But as a carpenter I am free and independent, and should be quite happy, if only you and Katerina would come with me, and take care of my wages.

  1. 1295

    Ah, Michael, I am too old now to leave home; and as for Katerina, you are surely not able yet to maintain a wife?

  2. 1296

    That is too true, mother; the more need, therefore, for me to go back to my trade at once.

  3. 1297

    Besides, I am really in danger here. (A knock.) Ah! how every knock makes me start.

  4. 1298

    Stop, mother; don't open the door until I get out of sight. (He slips behind a screen.)

  1. 1299

    Enter Peter, hastily. Come out, old comrade! Don't be hiding yourself; did I not see you through the window? Surely you are not afraid of me?

  2. 1300

    Peter! is it possible? I am right glad to see you again. But how on earth come you to be here in Moscow? There is no ship-building going on so far inland.

  3. 1301

    No, but there is in St. Petersburg, the new city that the Czar is building.

  4. 1302

    They say that the Czar is in Moscow just now.

  5. 1303

    Yes. He passed through your street this morning.

  6. 1304

    So I heard, but I did not see him. Peter, how did you ever find me out?

  7. 1305

    Why, happening to see your mother's name over the door, it occurred to me, after I returned to the palace.

  1. 1306

    The palace!

  2. 1307

    Yes, I always call the place a palace where I put up. It is a fancy I have.

  3. 1308

    You were always a queer fellow!

  4. 1309

    As I was saying, it occurred to me that Mrs. Stanmitz might be the mother or the aunt of my old comrade, and so I put on this disguise.

  5. 1310

    Ha, ha! the disguise of a gentleman. Peter, where did you get such fine clothes?

  6. 1311

    (sternly). Don't interrupt me, sir!

  7. 1312

    What a strange tone to speak in to an old friend! But I am sure you mean well; and I thank you for wishing to hear something of me.

  1. 1313

    Ah, Michael, many's the big log we have chopped at together, through the long summer day, in Van Block's ship-yard.

  2. 1314

    That we have, Peter! I wish you were going back with me!

  3. 1315

    I can get better wages at St. Petersburg.

  4. 1316

    If it were not the fear of being called to account for my long walk that December morning, I would go with you.

The particulars

The course
Valette, Dutch Conversation-Grammar (1913) and its Key (1893); Defense Language Institute, Dutch Refresher Course, Books I to III (1961). Public domain. The teaching pages, the readings' English, the answers to the conversations and the narration are ours.
Reading aloud
Digital narration, directed by 1732 Studios.
The book
Max Havelaar, the work this course leads to, free to read here.
Data
JSON · Markdown · A guide for agents
Two whoopie pies and a pine. An inside joke.