No. 161 in Dutch
al
"Al" in Dutch means "already" or "all."
In a sentence
Ik ben al klaar met mijn huiswerk.
I am already done with my homework.
In this sentence, 'al' means 'already,' indicating that the action (being done with homework) is completed earlier than expected.
Al is het laat, we blijven nog even.
Even though it is late, we will stay a bit longer.
Here, 'al' introduces a subordinate clause and functions similarly to 'even though,' expressing contrast.
Hij heeft al zijn boeken ingepakt.
He has packed all his books.
In this usage, 'al' functions as a quantifier, meaning 'all,' referring to the totality of the books.
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