Breakdown of De operatie begint morgen. De kat moet namelijk nuchter zijn.
zijn
to be
de kat
the cat
beginnen
to begin
morgen
tomorrow
Questions & Answers about De operatie begint morgen. De kat moet namelijk nuchter zijn.
How does namelijk connect the two sentences here?
Namelijk is used to give a reason or explanation for the statement that just came before it. Here, it explains exactly why the operation is tomorrow. While dictionaries often translate it as "namely," in sentences like this it acts more like "you see" or "the reason is that."
Why isn't namelijk placed at the beginning of the second sentence, like the word "because"?
Unlike connecting words (conjunctions) such as want or omdat, namelijk is an adverb. That means it doesn't join two clauses together from the front. Instead, it sits inside the second sentence, usually in the "middle field" right after the active verb—which in this case is moet.
Does nuchter really mean the cat shouldn't be drunk?
While nuchter is the standard Dutch word for "sober" (not drunk), it has a second very common meaning: "fasting" or "on an empty stomach." You will always see nuchter used in medical contexts when someone (or a pet) isn't allowed to eat or drink before surgery or a blood test.
Just to review, why is zijn at the very end of the sentence?
This is because of the modal verb moet (must). In Dutch main clauses, the modal verb takes the second position, and it pushes the main action verb—here, zijn (to be)—all the way to the end of the sentence in its full infinitive form.