Basic evaluation, size, and difficulty | Learn Dutch in English

Sentence explanations

1. Dit is heel goed.

   This is very good.

   Dit

   this

   is

   is

   heel

   very

   goed

   good

   More detail

   Dit means “this” here and is the singular neuter demonstrative form. Dutch contrasts dit with dat (“that”); the supplied follow-up uses Dat in the corresponding “that” expression. Dit can also stand independently, as in Dit is nieuw. — “This is new.” is is the present-tense form of zijn (“to be”) used here with a third-person singular subject. The form does not change for the subject’s grammatical gender: Het boek is goed. — “The book is good.” heel means “very” here and strengthens the adjective that follows. In other contexts, heel can mean “whole” or “entire,” but that is not its meaning in this utterance. For example, heel groot means “very big.” goed means “good” here and is used predicatively after zijn. Its comparison is goed → beter (“better”) → best (“best”); beter is irregular rather than a regular ending added to goed. Its opposite is slecht (“bad”). For example, De film is goed. — “The film is good.” Together, Dit is identifies “this” and links it to a description, while heel goed means “very good.” The whole utterance therefore means “This is very good.”

2. Dat is niet goed.

   That is not good.

   Dat

   that

   is

   is

   niet

   not

   goed

   good

   More detail

   Dat means “that” here. It is a Dutch demonstrative pronoun: the form dat is used for a singular neuter referent, or for a previously mentioned situation or statement. The fixed sentence does not identify exactly what it refers to. Compare dit for “this” in the nearby sentence Dit is heel goed. Example: Dat is mooi. — “That is beautiful.” is is the present-tense third-person singular form of zijn, “to be.” The same form is used with a singular subject: Dat is groot. — “That is big.” niet negates the following evaluation here, making the meaning “not good.” Its position can affect what is negated, so it is useful to learn it together with the adjective in this sentence rather than treating it as part of the word goed. goed means “good” here and describes the subject after is. Its comparison forms are goed — beter — best: “good” — “better” — “best.” Example: Dit is beter. — “This is better.” Together, Dat is identifies an unspecified singular-neuter thing or situation as the subject, and niet goed gives a negative evaluation of it. Thus Dat is niet goed. means “That is not good.”

3. Dit is te groot.

   This is too big.

   Dit

   this

   is

   is

   te

   too

   groot

   big

   More detail

   Dit means “this” here and functions as the subject. In Dutch, dit is the demonstrative used with a singular het-word or with an unspecified nearby thing; the sentence does not identify the exact referent. Its contrast is dat for “that,” as in the supplied preceding sentence. is is the present-tense form of zijn (“to be”) for a third-person singular subject. The reusable pattern is dit is ... (“this is ...”). Example: Dit is nieuw. — “This is new.” te means “too” before an adjective. It marks an excessive degree: the quality goes beyond what is suitable or wanted. It is different from heel (“very”), which intensifies without necessarily expressing excess. Example: De tas is te zwaar. — “The bag is too heavy.” groot means “big” or “large” here. It is the base form of the adjective; useful comparison forms are groter (“bigger”) and het grootst (“the biggest”). Example: Deze kamer is groter. — “This room is bigger.” Together, te groot means “too big,” and Dit is te groot. means “This is too big.” The demonstrative is the subject, is links it to the description, and te shows that the size is excessive rather than merely large.

4. Dit is te klein.

   This is too small.

   Dit … is

   this is

   te

   too

   klein

   small

   More detail

   Dit is means “this is.” Dit is a Dutch demonstrative pronoun used here as the singular subject; its specific referent is not identified by the supplied sentence. Is is the present-tense form of zijn (“to be”) for a singular third-person subject. Compare: Dit is groot. — “This is big.” te placed before an adjective means “too,” showing that the described degree is excessive for the relevant purpose or standard. It is different from heel (“very”), which intensifies without itself meaning that the degree is excessive. klein means “small.” This is the base form of the adjective. Useful forms are klein (small), kleiner (smaller), and het kleinst (the smallest). Example: Deze tas is kleiner. — “This bag is smaller.” Together, Dit is identifies the subject as “this,” te klein describes it as excessively small, and the complete utterance means “This is too small.”

5. Het is heel makkelijk.

   It is very easy.

   Het is

   it is

   heel

   very

   makkelijk

   easy

   More detail

   Het is means “it is” here. is is the present-tense form of zijn (“to be”) for a singular subject. In this sentence, het functions as the subject of the description; the supplied translation identifies the intended meaning as “it.” A reusable pattern is Het is + adjective: Het is rustig. — “It is quiet.” heel means “very” in this sentence and intensifies the adjective that follows. It does not itself mean “easy.” For example, heel groot means “very big.” makkelijk is an adjective meaning “easy.” Its opposite in the provided continuation is moeilijk, “difficult.” The form makkelijk is the ordinary positive form; a comparison can be built with makkelijker (“easier”) and het makkelijkst (“the easiest”). Example: Deze oefening is makkelijk. — “This exercise is easy.” Together, Het is + heel + makkelijk forms the reusable pattern Het is heel + adjective, meaning “It is very ….” Thus the complete utterance means “It is very easy.”

6. Het is heel moeilijk.

   It is very difficult.

   Het is

   It is

   heel

   very

   moeilijk

   difficult

   More detail

   Het is means “it is.” Here het is a neuter singular pronoun used in an impersonal statement; the sentence does not identify a particular thing that “it” refers to. is is the present-tense singular form of zijn (“to be”). Compare: Het is makkelijk. — “It is easy.” heel means “very” here. It intensifies the adjective that follows: heel moeilijk means “very difficult.” It is not the adjective itself and does not change form in this use. moeilijk means “difficult” or “hard.” It is an adjective and can also be used predicatively after zijn, as here. A useful comparison is makkelijk (“easy”): Het is moeilijk. — “It is difficult”; Het is makkelijk. — “It is easy.” Together, Het is + heel + moeilijk gives “It is very difficult.” The structure is a reusable impersonal pattern: Het is + an adjective, with heel added before the adjective when strong intensity is intended.