Breakdown of Je moet de kabel aansluiten voordat je de computer aanzet.
moeten
to have to, must
je
you (unstressed form of jij)
de computer
the computer
voordat
before
aanzetten
to turn on
de kabel
the cable
aansluiten
to connect
Questions & Answers about Je moet de kabel aansluiten voordat je de computer aanzet.
Why does the verb aanzet go at the very end of the sentence?
The word voordat (before) is a subordinating conjunction. This means it introduces a sub-clause and forces the conjugated verb to the very end of that clause. So instead of je zet de computer aan, the word order changes to voordat je de computer aanzet.
Usually aanzetten is split up into zet ... aan. Why is it written as one word here?
Aanzetten (to turn on) is a separable verb. In a normal main clause, the prefix aan goes to the end. But because voordat sends the verb to the end of the clause, the verb and its prefix are pushed back together into the single word aanzet.
Why are moet and aansluiten placed so far apart in the first part of the sentence?
The first part of the sentence is a normal main clause using the modal verb moeten (must). The conjugated verb moet takes the second position in the sentence, and the main action verb aansluiten (to connect) is sent in its full infinitive form to the end of that clause, right before voordat.
Both verbs in this sentence start with aan. Is that a coincidence?
Not really! The prefix aan often gives a verb the meaning of connecting, attaching, or activating something. Here we have aansluiten (to connect) and aanzetten (to turn on).
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