gemakkelijke

Gemakkelijke is a Dutch adjective meaning easy, convenient, or comfortable, used to describe tasks, processes, or objects that require little effort or are straightforward to use. The word derives from gemak, meaning ease, combined with the suffix -lijk, forming a base meaning of having ease.

Usage and grammar

Gemakkelijke is primarily used attributively before a noun, in phrases such as een gemakkelijke oplossing, gemakkelijke toegang, or een gemakkelijke taak. In ordinary speech, the predicative form is usually gemakkelijk, as in Dit is gemakkelijk. The form gemakkelijke itself inflects for number and gender when placed before a noun, and can appear in plural constructions like gemakkelijke taken or gemakkelijke oplossingen.

Relation to related terms

Gemakkelijke is closely related to gemakkelijk and makkelijk. While both can express ease, gemakkelijk is often seen as slightly more formal or distant, and is commonly used in written or technical contexts. Makkelijk is more everyday and conversational. Eenvoudig is another near-synonym, emphasizing straightforwardness rather than convenience.

Nuances

The nuance between gemakkelijke and other synonyms depends on context. Gemakkelijke often conveys a sense of little effort, practical convenience, or a favorable ease of use, whereas eenvoudig focuses on simplicity, and makkelijk on ease that may vary by situation.

Pronunciation

In standard Dutch, gemakkelijke is pronounced roughly as [ɣəˈmakə(l)ə], with the final syllable softened in rapid speech.