Breakdown of De trein rijdt langzaam totdat we in het station zijn.
zijn
to be
in
in
de trein
the train
het station
the station
rijden
to drive
we
we (unstressed form of wij)
totdat
until (conjunction)
langzaam
slow
Questions & Answers about De trein rijdt langzaam totdat we in het station zijn.
Why is the verb zijn at the very end of the sentence?
The word totdat (until) is a subordinating conjunction. This means it introduces a dependent clause (a side-sentence), which forces the conjugated verb in that part of the sentence (zijn) all the way to the end.
Can I use tot instead of totdat to say 'until'?
Not in this sentence. You use tot before a noun or a specific time (like tot morgen for "until tomorrow"). Because we in het station zijn is a full clause with its own subject and verb, you need to use the conjunction totdat.
How do you know langzaam means 'slowly' and not just 'slow'?
In Dutch, adjectives (which describe nouns) and adverbs (which describe verbs) generally share the exact same form. Because langzaam describes the action verb rijdt (drives), it automatically translates to the adverb "slowly" in English.
I usually see 'op het station' for 'at the station'. Why is it 'in' here?
You are right that op het station is the standard way to say you are "at the train station" (like waiting on the platform). Using in het station specifically emphasizes being physically inside the station building or the enclosed track area.
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