Breakdown of De chauffeur kan de route niet zien zolang het scherm kapot is.
zijn
to be
niet
not
zien
to see
kunnen
can
kapot
broken
de chauffeur
the driver
het scherm
the screen
zolang
as long as
de route
the route
Questions & Answers about De chauffeur kan de route niet zien zolang het scherm kapot is.
Why does the verb is go at the very end of the sentence?
The word zolang (as long as) is a subordinating conjunction. This means it introduces a dependent clause and pushes the conjugated verb (is) to the very end of that specific clause.
Could I use als instead of zolang here?
You could, but it changes the meaning slightly. Using als (if or when) simply means the driver cannot see the route if the screen is broken. Using zolang emphasizes the duration of time: he cannot see it during the whole time that it remains broken.
What happens to the word order if I start the sentence with the zolang clause?
If you put the subordinate clause first, the main clause must use inversion (verb before subject) because the entire first clause acts as position one. It would become: Zolang het scherm kapot is, kan de chauffeur de route niet zien.
Why is niet placed right before zien?
In Dutch, niet usually comes after a specific direct object (like de route) but before any other verbs that are pushed to the end of the clause. Here, it sits right before the infinitive verb zien.
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