Breakdown of Zelfs de baas zou niet komen, dus we zouden de bijeenkomst verzetten.
niet
not
wij
we
komen
to come
de baas
the boss
zullen
shall / will
dus
so, therefore
zelfs
even
de bijeenkomst
the gathering
verzetten
to reschedule
Questions & Answers about Zelfs de baas zou niet komen, dus we zouden de bijeenkomst verzetten.
Why do zou and zouden translate to "wasn't going to" and "were going to" in this sentence instead of "would"?
In stories or narratives set in the past, Dutch uses zouden plus an infinitive to express a "future in the past"—something that was planned or expected to happen from that past perspective. While you could technically translate it as "would" (Even the boss would not come), English speakers usually say "was/were going to" when talking about canceled or changed past plans.
Why is the word order dus we zouden (subject-verb) rather than putting the verb right after dus?
The word dus (so) acts as a coordinating conjunction here, connecting two main clauses. Just like after en (and) or maar (but), the word order in the new clause stays normal: subject (we) followed by the working verb (zouden).
Does the verb verzetten literally mean "to reschedule"?
Literally, zetten means "to put" or "to set", and the prefix ver- often implies a change or movement. So verzetten literally means "to set elsewhere" or "to move". When talking about an appointment or a meeting (de bijeenkomst), it is the standard Dutch word for "to reschedule".
Why does the sentence use Zelfs for "Even"? Can I just use the Dutch word Even?
No, they are false friends! The Dutch word even means "briefly" or "for a moment" (as in wacht even - wait a moment). When you want to express surprise that an extreme case is included, like "Even the boss", you must use zelfs.
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