Breakdown of Omdat de band lek is, zoeken we de oorzaak.
zijn
to be
zoeken
to look for
we
we (unstressed form of wij)
omdat
because (subordinating)
de band
the tire
lek
flat (punctured)
de oorzaak
the cause
Questions & Answers about Omdat de band lek is, zoeken we de oorzaak.
Why does the second part say zoeken we instead of we zoeken?
This is the main rule of this lesson! The first part of the sentence (Omdat de band lek is) is a subordinate clause. When you start a sentence with a subordinate clause, the whole clause acts as position number one. The main verb must always come in position number two, so zoeken comes immediately after the comma, swapping places with the subject we. This is called inversion.
Why is the verb is at the very end of the first clause?
The word omdat (because) always introduces a subordinate clause. In Dutch, subordinate clauses push their verbs to the very end. So, instead of the normal order de band is lek, the verb moves to the end, making it de band lek is.
Could I use want instead of omdat since they both mean "because"?
You cannot use want here for two reasons. First, you cannot start a sentence with want, but you can start one with omdat. Second, they require different word orders! Omdat pushes the verb to the end. If the clauses were reversed and you used want, the word order would stay normal: We zoeken de oorzaak, want de band is lek.
What does lek literally mean here?
While it translates to "flat" in English when talking about a tire, lek literally means "leaking" or "punctured". You can also use it for a leaky roof or a boat. If your phone or car battery is "flat", you cannot use this word; you would use the word leeg (empty) instead.
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