Breakdown of Als iemand gewond is, komt de ambulance snel.
zijn
to be
snel
fast
komen
to come
iemand
someone
Questions & Answers about Als iemand gewond is, komt de ambulance snel.
Why is the verb is at the end of the first part?
The word als (if/when) is a subordinating conjunction. This means it introduces a dependent subclause and kicks the conjugated verb (is) all the way to the end of that clause.
Why does the second half say komt de ambulance instead of de ambulance komt?
This happens because of the Dutch "verb second" rule. The entire first clause (Als iemand gewond is) counts as the first piece of information in the sentence. To keep the main verb in the second position, komt has to jump in front of the subject (de ambulance). This swapping of the subject and verb is called inversion.
It's strange to see two verbs right next to each other (is, komt). Is this normal?
Yes! Because the first clause pushes its verb (is) to the end, and the second clause pulls its verb (komt) to the front, they end up back-to-back. This "verb, comma, verb" pattern happens almost every time a Dutch sentence starts with a subclause.
Does als mean "if" or "when" here?
It can mean either! In Dutch, als is used both for conditions ("if") and for events in the present or future ("when"). Both meanings make perfect sense in this sentence.