Breakdown of Als u de brand ontdekt, zo waarschuwt u de politie.
u
you (formal)
ontdekken
to discover
als
if / when (condition)
waarschuwen
to warn
de politie
the police
de brand
the fire
zo
thus / in that way (resumptive)
Questions & Answers about Als u de brand ontdekt, zo waarschuwt u de politie.
Why do we use zo here instead of dan?
While both are resumptive adverbs, they have different meanings. You use dan to mean 'then' (if X, then Y). You use zo to mean 'in this way' or 'like this'. In this sentence, zo connects the condition of discovering the fire to the specific method of warning the police.
Why is the word order zo waarschuwt u instead of zo u waarschuwt?
Why is the verb ontdekt at the very end of the first phrase?
The word Als (If) introduces a subordinate clause. In Dutch subordinate clauses, the conjugated verb is always pushed to the end of the phrase.
Could I use vuur instead of brand for 'fire' here?
Not in this context. The word vuur refers to fire in general, which can be a controlled fire like a candle or campfire. The word brand is used specifically for an uncontrolled, destructive fire, which is exactly the kind you would warn the police or emergency services about.
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