Questions & Answers about Als de jongen niet eerlijk is, help ik hem niet.
Why is niet placed before eerlijk in the first part?
In the subordinate clause (Als de jongen...), the verb (is) moves to the end. The word niet is here to negate the adjective eerlijk (honest), so it sits right in front of it.
Why does the second niet go at the very end of the sentence?
The second clause (help ik hem niet) is a main clause. Here, niet negates the entire action of helping him, rather than a specific word. When negating a whole action in a main clause, niet gets pushed to the end.
Why is it help ik instead of ik help in the second half?
This is because of the V2 (verb second) rule. The entire first part starting with Als counts as the first piece of information in the sentence. The main verb (help) must come next, so it swaps places with the subject (ik).
Can I use a word for 'then' in this sentence, like 'If X, then Y'?
Yes, you can add dan (then) to the start of the second half: Als de jongen niet eerlijk is, dan help ik hem niet. This is very common in Dutch and makes the cause-and-effect relationship extra clear.