Learn Dutch: Aangezien het laat is, zullen we de vergadering uitstellen. - Since it is late, we will postpone the meeting.

Aangezien het laat is, zullen we de vergadering uitstellen.

Since it is late, we will postpone the meeting.

Breakdown of Aangezien het laat is, zullen we de vergadering uitstellen.

Questions & Answers about Aangezien het laat is, zullen we de vergadering uitstellen.

How does aangezien affect the word order in the first part of the sentence?

Aangezien is a subordinating conjunction, which means it introduces a dependent clause. It pushes the conjugated verb in that clause (is) all the way to the end before the comma. So we say Aangezien het laat is instead of Aangezien het is laat.

Why is it zullen we instead of we zullen in the second part?

This is due to the V2 (verb second) rule. The entire first clause (Aangezien het laat is) counts as the first piece of information in the sentence. Therefore, the verb of the main clause (zullen) must come immediately in the second position, pushing the subject (we) after it.

Is there a difference between using aangezien and omdat in this sentence?

You could use omdat (because) and the grammar would be exactly the same. However, aangezien translates better to 'since' or 'as'. It is slightly more formal and is often used when the reason (that it is late) is already obvious or known to the listener.

I know uitstellen is a separable verb. Why isn't it split up here?

Separable verbs only split when they are the conjugated verb in a main clause (for example: Wij stellen het uit). Because the auxiliary verb zullen is the conjugated verb here, it pushes uitstellen to the end of the sentence as a full infinitive, keeping it intact as one word.