Learn Dutch: Wij accepteren het bod, mits de voorwaarden redelijk zijn. - We accept the offer, provided that the conditions are reasonable.

mits (provided that) is a subordinating conjunction. This means it introduces a subclause and kicks the conjugated verb in that clause—in this case, zijn—to the very end of the sentence.

Is mits just a formal synonym for als (if)?

They are similar, but mits is stronger and more specific. While als simply means 'if', mits translates to 'provided that' or 'on the condition that'. It emphasizes that accepting the offer absolutely depends on the conditions being reasonable.

Why doesn't the adjective redelijk get an -e ending since voorwaarden is plural?

Adjectives only get an -e ending when they come directly before the noun they describe (as in de redelijke voorwaarden). Here, redelijk is placed after the noun and linked by the verb zijn. When used this way, the adjective never gets an -e ending, regardless of whether the noun is plural or singular.

Is het bod related to the English word 'bid'?

Yes, it is! het bod translates to 'the offer' or 'the bid', and it is commonly used in business, auctions, or when buying a house. The related verb is bieden (to bid or to offer).