Breakdown of Wij vragen de gids of de rondleiding al is begonnen.
zijn
to be
wij
we
beginnen
to begin
vragen
to ask
al
already
of
if / whether
de gids
the guide
de rondleiding
the guided tour
Questions & Answers about Wij vragen de gids of de rondleiding al is begonnen.
Why do we use of here instead of als?
In English, you use the word 'if' for both conditions ('If it rains...') and indirect questions ('I ask if it rains'). In Dutch, you must use of for indirect questions (meaning 'whether') and als for conditions. Since we are reporting a yes/no question here, we must use of.
How does of change the word order in the second half of the sentence?
The word of introduces a subclause, which pushes all the verbs to the very end of that clause. That is why the verbs is begonnen come after the subject (de rondleiding) and the adverb (al), instead of sitting in the normal second position.
Why is it is begonnen instead of heeft begonnen?
In Dutch, verbs that describe a change of state, like starting (beginnen) or stopping, usually take zijn (to be) instead of hebben (to have) to form the perfect tense.
Could I switch the verbs at the end and say begonnen is?
Yes! At the end of a subclause, you can put the helping verb (is) either before or after the past participle (begonnen). Both of de rondleiding al is begonnen and of de rondleiding al begonnen is are perfectly correct.
Where does the word al (already) go in a sentence like this?
In a subclause, adverbs like al generally come after the subject. Because the verbs are pushed to the very end by of, al ends up sandwiched right between the subject (de rondleiding) and the verbs (is begonnen).
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