Breakdown of Als we het alarm horen, vluchten we naar buiten.
naar
to
buiten
outside
horen
to hear
we
we (unstressed form of wij)
als
if / when (condition)
het alarm
the alarm
vluchten
to flee
Questions & Answers about Als we het alarm horen, vluchten we naar buiten.
Why does the first part end with the verb horen?
The word als (when or if) is a subordinating conjunction. It introduces a dependent subclause, which forces the conjugated verb (horen) to move to the very end of that clause, right before the comma.
Why is it vluchten we and not we vluchten in the second half?
In Dutch, the conjugated verb of a main clause must be in the second position. Because the entire first clause (Als we het alarm horen) acts as position one, the verb of the main clause (vluchten) must immediately follow the comma. This pushes the subject (we) after the verb.
Can als mean "if" as well as "when"? How do I know which one it is here?
Yes, als can mean both if and when. In many situations like this one, both translations make perfect sense. You have to rely on the broader context of the story to know whether it is a certainty (when) or a condition (if).
Why do we say naar buiten instead of just buiten?
Buiten on its own describes a static location, meaning you are already outside. Because this sentence describes a direction of movement (fleeing towards the outside), you need to add the preposition naar (to). Literally, it translates to fleeing to outside.
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