Breakdown of Ik ruim het kantoor op nadat ik de machine uitzet.
ik
I
het kantoor
the office
opruimen
to tidy up
de machine
the machine
nadat
after
uitzetten
to turn off (devices, machines)
Questions & Answers about Ik ruim het kantoor op nadat ik de machine uitzet.
Why is uitzet written as one word at the very end of the sentence?
The word nadat (after) introduces a subordinate clause, which pushes the working verb to the end. The verb here is uitzetten (to turn off), which is a separable verb. When a separable verb is sent to the end of a subordinate clause, its two parts (uit and zet) are glued back together into a single word: uitzet.
Why is the verb opruimen separated in the first half of the sentence, but uitzetten is not?
The first part, Ik ruim het kantoor op, is a normal main clause. In a main clause, the conjugated part (ruim) takes the second position, and the prefix (op) goes to the end of that clause. The second part is a subordinate clause (triggered by nadat), which forces the entire verb to the end, reattaching the prefix to the verb.
Is it normal to use the present tense for both actions here?
Yes! Because both ruim op and uitzet are in the present tense, this sentence describes a regular habit or routine (e.g., "Every day, I tidy the office after I turn off the machine"). It can also describe a sequence of events you are about to do right now.
How do I know that uitzet means "turn off"?
The base verb zetten usually means "to put" or "to set". But when you combine it with the prefix uit (out) to make the separable verb uitzetten, it specifically means "to turn off" or "to switch off" an electronic device or machine. If you wanted to turn the machine on, you would use aanzetten.
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