Dutch, like many other languages, allows speakers to construct complex sentences to express more intricate ideas and relationships between clauses. These complex sentences consist of a main clause and one or more subordinate clauses. In this guide, we will explore the basics of Dutch complex sentences, including the types of subordinate clauses and their functions, along with example sentences to help you grasp the concepts.
Main Clauses:
Main clauses in Dutch are independent clauses that can stand alone as complete sentences. They express a complete thought and typically contain a subject and a finite verb. Here’s an example of a main clause in Dutch:
Ik ga naar de bioscoop. (I am going to the cinema.)
In this sentence, “Ik” (I) is the subject, “ga” (am going) is the finite verb, and “naar de bioscoop” (to the cinema) is the prepositional phrase.
Subordinate Clauses:
Subordinate clauses in Dutch are dependent clauses that cannot function as standalone sentences. They are introduced by subordinating conjunctions or relative pronouns and serve various functions within a complex sentence. Let’s explore some types of subordinate clauses commonly used in Dutch.
a) Subordinate Clauses with Subordinating Conjunctions:
Subordinate clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions express relationships such as time, cause and effect, condition, purpose, and concession. Here are some examples:
Toen ik jong was, speelde ik veel buiten. (When I was young, I played outside.)
Omdat het regent, neem ik mijn paraplu mee. (Because it’s raining, I’m taking my umbrella.)
Als ik tijd heb, ga ik graag wandelen. (If I have time, I enjoy going for a walk.)
Zodat ik beter kan leren, volg ik een cursus. (So that I can study better, I’m taking a course.)
Hoewel het druk is, ben ik rustig. (Although it’s busy, I am calm.)
In these examples, “Toen” (When), “Omdat” (Because), “Als” (If), “Zodat” (So that), and “Hoewel” (Although) are subordinating conjunctions that introduce the subordinate clauses.
b) Subordinate Clauses with Relative Pronouns:
Subordinate clauses introduced by relative pronouns provide additional information about a noun in the main clause. The relative pronouns in Dutch include “die” (who/that/which), “dat” (that/which), “wie” (who), “wiens” (whose), and “waar” (where). Here are some examples:
De man die daar loopt, is mijn broer. (The man who is walking there is my brother.)
Het boek dat ik lees, is erg interessant. (The book that I am reading is very interesting.)
Zij is de persoon met wie ik werk. (She is the person with whom I work.)
Dit is het huis waar ik ben opgegroeid. (This is the house where I grew up.)
In these sentences, the relative pronouns “die,” “dat,” “wie,” and “waar” introduce the subordinate clauses, providing additional information about the noun in the main clause.
Sentence Structure and Word Order:
In Dutch complex sentences, the word order can change depending on the position of the subordinate clause. When the subordinate clause comes before the main clause, the word order within the subordinate clause remains unchanged, while the word order in the main clause becomes subject-verb-object. Here’s an example:
Omdat het warm is, ga ik zwemmen. (Because it’s hot, I am going swimming.)
In this sentence, the subordinate clause “Omdat het warm is” (Because it’s hot) comes before the main clause “ga ik zwemmen” (I am going swimming). Notice that the verb “is” remains in the second position in the subordinate clause, while the verb “ga” moves to the second position in the main clause.
Coordinating Complex Sentences:
In Dutch, you can also create coordinating complex sentences by combining two main clauses using coordinating conjunctions such as “en” (and), “maar” (but), “of” (or), and “want” (because). Here’s an example:
Ik wil graag een ijsje, want het is warm. (I would like an ice cream because it’s hot.)
In this sentence, the coordinating conjunction “want” (because) combines the two main clauses “Ik wil graag een ijsje” (I would like an ice cream) and “het is warm” (it’s hot).
Punctuation in Complex Sentences:
When using subordinate clauses, it’s important to be mindful of the punctuation rules in Dutch. Commas are often used to separate the subordinate clause from the main clause. Here’s an example:
Als het regent, blijf ik binnen. (If it’s raining, I stay indoors.)
In this sentence, a comma is used to separate the subordinate clause “Als het regent” (If it’s raining) from the main clause “blijf ik binnen” (I stay indoors).
In conclusion, Dutch complex sentences involve the use of subordinate clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions or relative pronouns. These subordinate clauses serve various functions and provide additional information or express relationships within a sentence. By understanding the different types of subordinate clauses and their structures, you can begin constructing more complex and expressive sentences in Dutch. Practice with these examples and gradually incorporate them into your own writing and speaking to improve your command of Dutch grammar.
Quick quiz
Exercise 1:
Choose the correct subordinating conjunction to complete the sentence:
_ het regent, neem ik mijn paraplu mee.
a) Toen
b) Omdat
c) Als
d) Zodat
Answer: b) Omdat
Explanation: The correct subordinating conjunction in this sentence is “omdat” (because), as it introduces a subordinate clause that expresses the reason for taking the umbrella. Example sentence: “Omdat het regent, neem ik mijn paraplu mee.” (Because it’s raining, I’m taking my umbrella.)
Exercise 2:
Select the appropriate relative pronoun to complete the sentence:
Dit is het huis __ ik ben opgegroeid.
a) die
b) dat
c) wie
d) waar
Answer: d) waar
Explanation: The correct relative pronoun in this sentence is “waar” (where), as it introduces a subordinate clause that provides additional information about the house. Example sentence: “Dit is het huis waar ik ben opgegroeid.” (This is the house where I grew up.)
Exercise 3:
Identify the word order in the following complex sentence:
Zij is de persoon __ ik werk.
a) met wie
b) die
c) waar
d) dat
Answer: a) met wie
Explanation: The word order in this complex sentence is subject-verb-object, with the preposition “met” (with) followed by the relative pronoun “wie” (whom) introducing the subordinate clause. Example sentence: “Zij is de persoon met wie ik werk.” (She is the person whom I work with.)
Exercise 4:
Choose the coordinating conjunction to combine the following main clauses:
Ik wil graag een ijsje, __ het is warm.
a) want
b) en
c) maar
d) of
Answer: a) want
Explanation: The coordinating conjunction “want” (because) is used to combine the two main clauses and indicate the reason for wanting an ice cream. Example sentence: “Ik wil graag een ijsje, want het is warm.” (I would like an ice cream because it’s hot.)
Exercise 5:
Identify the correct punctuation for the following complex sentence:
Als het regent __ blijf ik binnen.
a) ,
b) .
c) ;
d) :
Answer: a) ,
Explanation: The correct punctuation in this sentence is a comma (,) to separate the subordinate clause from the main clause. Example sentence: “Als het regent, blijf ik binnen.” (If it’s raining, I stay indoors.)
Exercise 6:
Select the appropriate subordinating conjunction to complete the sentence:
_ ik tijd heb, ga ik graag wandelen.
a) Toen
b) Omdat
c) Als
d) Zodat
Answer: c) Als
Explanation: The correct subordinating conjunction in this sentence is “als” (if), as it introduces a subordinate clause that expresses a condition. Example sentence: “Als ik tijd heb, ga ik graag wandelen.” (If I have time, I enjoy going for a walk.)
Exercise 7:
Choose the correct relative pronoun to complete the sentence:
De man __ daar loopt, is mijn broer.
a) die
b) dat
c) wie
d) waar
Answer: a) die
Explanation: The correct relative pronoun in this sentence is “die” (who/that), as it introduces a subordinate clause providing additional information about the man. Example sentence: “De man die daar loopt, is mijn broer.” (The man who is walking there is my brother.)
Exercise 8:
Identify the word order in the following complex sentence:
Omdat het warm is, __ ik ga zwemmen.
a) blijf
b) ga
c) is
d) het
Answer: b) ga
Explanation: The word order in this complex sentence is subject-verb-object, with the subordinate clause “omdat het warm is” (because it’s hot) preceding the main clause. Example sentence: “Omdat het warm is, ga ik zwemmen.” (Because it’s hot, I am going swimming.)
Exercise 9:
Choose the coordinating conjunction to combine the following main clauses:
Ik ben moe, __ ik ga toch door.
a) want
b) en
c) maar
d) of
Answer: c) maar
Explanation: The coordinating conjunction “maar” (but) is used to combine the two main clauses and indicate a contrast or contradiction. Example sentence: “Ik ben moe, maar ik ga toch door.” (I am tired, but I will still continue.)
Exercise 10:
Identify the correct punctuation for the following complex sentence:
Hoewel het druk is __ ben ik rustig.
a) ,
b) .
c) ;
d) :
Answer: a) ,
Explanation: The correct punctuation in this sentence is a comma (,) to separate the subordinate clause from the main clause. Example sentence: “Hoewel het druk is, ben ik rustig.” (Although it’s busy, I am calm.)
In each exercise, the explanations provide the correct answers along with the reasoning behind them. Additionally, an example sentence is given to illustrate the usage of the grammatical concept being tested. This approach helps learners understand the correct choices and how they fit within the context of Dutch complex sentences.
Originally posted 2023-07-19 16:26:11.