Wij accepteren het akkoord, mits jullie aan de eis voldoen.

From Lesson 194:Provided that (mits)·Dutch

Questions & Answers about Wij accepteren het akkoord, mits jullie aan de eis voldoen.

How does the word mits affect the word order in the second half of the sentence?
Because mits (provided that) is a subordinating conjunction, it introduces a subordinate clause. This means the conjugated verb, voldoen, is pushed all the way to the end of the clause.
I often confuse mits with tenzij. What is the difference?
They are exact opposites! Mits means 'provided that' or 'only if' (a positive condition), while tenzij means 'unless' (a negative condition). If you swapped mits for tenzij in this sentence, it would mean you accept the agreement unless they meet the requirement. Both of these words push the verb to the end of the clause.
Why is the word aan used here instead of just saying 'de eis voldoen'?
In Dutch, 'to meet a requirement' or 'to satisfy a condition' is expressed with the fixed verb phrase voldoen aan. Because English just uses the verb 'meet' without a preposition, this Dutch combination is one you simply have to memorize.
Is voldoen a separable verb?
No, voldoen is inseparable. Even though it starts with vol-, the stress is on the second syllable (vol-DOEN), which is a clue that it doesn't split. If you used it in a normal main clause without mits, it would stay together: Jullie voldoen aan de eis.

Learn Wij accepteren het akkoord, mits jullie aan de eis voldoen and more in Dutch

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • Practice with interactive exercises
  • Track your progress with spaced repetition
  • Learn at your own pace — completely free