Breakdown of Wij wachten totdat de soep klaar is.
zijn
to be
wij
we
klaar
ready
de soep
the soup
wachten
to wait
totdat
until (conjunction)
Questions & Answers about Wij wachten totdat de soep klaar is.
Why is the verb is at the very end of the sentence?
Because totdat (until) is a subordinating conjunction. Conjunctions like this introduce a dependent clause, which forces the working verb (in this case, is) to the very end of that clause.
Could I just use tot instead of totdat in this sentence?
Yes, you can! Both mean "until" and work to connect clauses, so Wij wachten tot de soep klaar is is also completely correct. The main difference is that totdat is only used to connect clauses, whereas tot can also be a preposition (like in tot morgen - until tomorrow).
Does klaar always mean "ready"?
It usually translates to "ready" or "finished". When talking about food, it means it is fully cooked and ready to eat. If you are doing a task or homework, being klaar means you are completely finished with it.
Why use wij instead of we here?
Wij is the emphasized form of we. Using wij slightly emphasizes exactly who is doing the waiting. In everyday casual speech, if there is no special emphasis on the group waiting, you will more often hear we wachten.
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