tamelijke

Tamelijke is a Dutch attributive form of the word tamelijk, used before a noun to express a considerable degree or amount. While tamelijk itself functions as an adverb meaning “quite” or “fairly,” tamelijke acts as the adjective form that modifies a noun, roughly translating to “considerable” or “fairly large” in context. It is commonly used to indicate that something is more than small or modest, but not extreme.

Usage and grammar

Tamelijke precedes the noun it describes and follows the general Dutch rule for attributive adjectives: it carries an -e ending in definite noun phrases and in the plural. Examples include de tamelijke prijs (the considerable price), tamelijke hoeveelheden (considerable amounts), and tamelijke kosten (considerable costs). In informal speech, speakers sometimes opt for synonyms such as redelijk or aanzienlijk, but tamelijke remains well established in standard and written Dutch.

Examples

- Er kwam tamelijke regen vannacht. (There was fairly a lot of rain last night.)

- Dat kost een tamelijke som geld. (That costs a substantial amount of money.)

- We hebben tamelijke inspanningen geleverd. (We have made considerable efforts.)

Etymology and related terms

Tamelijke derives from tam, meaning tame or moderate, with the suffix -elijk forming an adjective meaning “of such a kind,” together yielding “of a quite considerable degree.” Related terms include tamelijk (the adverbial form meaning “quite” or “fairly”) and redelijke, which can be used similarly in many contexts.