Breakdown of Laten we in de rij wachten totdat de attractie begint.
in
in
beginnen
to begin
wachten
to wait
we
we (unstressed form of wij)
laten
to let (laten we ... = let's ...)
de attractie
the attraction
totdat
until (conjunction)
de rij
the queue
Questions & Answers about Laten we in de rij wachten totdat de attractie begint.
How do we form suggestions with laten we?
Laten we means "let's" (literally: "let us"). You use it with an infinitive verb placed at the end of the clause. Here, the action you are suggesting is wachten (to wait), so it goes at the end of the first part: Laten we in de rij wachten.
Does in de rij mean "in the row" or "in the queue"?
Both! The Dutch word rij translates to "row" or "line". So in de rij staan or in de rij wachten is the standard way to say "to stand in line" or "to wait in the queue".
Why is the verb begint at the very end of the sentence?
The word totdat (until) is a joining word that starts a dependent clause. In Dutch, these types of joining words push the working verb of their clause—in this case, begint—all the way to the end.
Could I just use tot instead of totdat here?
Yes, tot and totdat can often both be used to mean "until" when connecting two clauses. Totdat is slightly more specific as a joining word, making it very clear you are starting a new clause where the verb is pushed to the end.
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