Breakdown of Zeg je het abonnement op, dan betaal je minder.
betalen
to pay
dan
then
je
you (unstressed form of jij)
minder
less / fewer
opzeggen
to cancel (a subscription, contract)
het abonnement
the subscription
Questions & Answers about Zeg je het abonnement op, dan betaal je minder.
Why does this sentence start with the verb Zeg?
In Dutch, you can create an 'if' condition simply by starting a sentence with the verb. It means exactly the same as Als je het abonnement opzegt (If you cancel the subscription). Dropping als and putting the verb first is a common and natural way to state a condition.
Where does the word op come from right before the comma?
It belongs to the separable verb opzeggen, which means to cancel. Because the first half of this sentence uses a verb-first structure, the verb splits. The main part (Zeg) takes position one, and the prefix (op) gets pushed to the end of that clause.
Why is the second part dan betaal je instead of dan je betaalt?
The word dan (then) is the first piece of information in the second clause. Because Dutch main clauses must have the verb in the second position, the verb betaal comes immediately after dan, pushing the subject je to the third spot.
Could I use annuleren to say cancel instead of opzeggen here?
Usually not. You use opzeggen for ongoing agreements like a subscription (een abonnement), a lease, or a membership. You use annuleren for one-off events or orders, like cancelling a flight or a hotel reservation.
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