Breakdown of Zodra de zending klaar is, kiest de planner de route.
zijn
to be
klaar
ready
kiezen
to choose
zodra
as soon as
Questions & Answers about Zodra de zending klaar is, kiest de planner de route.
Why is the verb is placed at the very end of the first clause?
The word zodra (as soon as) is a subordinating conjunction. This means it introduces a dependent clause and forces the conjugated verb (is) to move to the end of that clause.
Why does the second part say kiest de planner instead of de planner kiest?
In Dutch, the main clause's verb must usually be the second idea in a sentence. The entire first clause (Zodra de zending klaar is) acts as the first idea. Therefore, the main verb (kiest) must come next, pushing the subject (de planner) right after it. This is known as inversion.
If I reversed the sentence to put the main clause first, how would that look in Dutch?
It would be: De planner kiest de route zodra de zending klaar is. Notice that the main clause goes back to the normal subject-verb order (De planner kiest), while the verb in the zodra clause remains at the end.
Is the noun zending related to the verb for sending?
Yes! Zending (shipment or consignment) comes directly from the verb zenden (to send). Adding -ing to a verb stem often creates a noun related to that action, similar to how it works in English.