Breakdown of Aangezien we een schriftelijk contract hadden, is dit probleem opgelost.
zijn
to be
een
a/an
hebben
to have
het probleem
the problem
Questions & Answers about Aangezien we een schriftelijk contract hadden, is dit probleem opgelost.
Why does the verb hadden go at the very end of the first clause?
The word aangezien (since/as) is a subordinating conjunction. Words like this introduce a dependent clause, which forces the conjugated verb (hadden) to the end of that clause.
Why is the word order is dit probleem instead of dit probleem is?
This is the classic Dutch V2 (verb-second) rule in action! The entire first clause (Aangezien we een schriftelijk contract hadden) acts as the first block of information. The verb of the main sentence (is) must come exactly second, so it jumps in front of the subject (dit probleem).
Why is it schriftelijk instead of schriftelijke?
The word for contract is a het-word (het contract). When a het-word is used with the indefinite article een (a/an), any adjective that comes before it does not get an -e ending.
I see opgelost means "solved". How is this past participle built?
It comes from the separable verb oplossen (to solve). When making a past participle for a separable verb, the ge- is sandwiched right between the prefix (op) and the rest of the verb, giving us opgelost.