Breakdown of Als er geen gevaar is, dan schakelt u de stroom niet uit.
zijn
to be
u
you (formal)
niet
not
geen
no / not any
dan
then
er
there (existential)
als
if / when (condition)
het gevaar
the danger
uitschakelen
to switch off
de stroom
the power / the electricity (electrical)
Questions & Answers about Als er geen gevaar is, dan schakelt u de stroom niet uit.
Why is dan used here, and how does it affect the word order?
The word dan is a resumptive adverb that refers back to the entire 'if' clause (Als er geen gevaar is). Because dan takes up the first position in the main clause, the verb must come immediately after it to follow the verb-second rule, giving us dan schakelt u.
Can I leave out dan in this sentence?
Why is uit at the very end of the sentence?
The verb here is uitschakelen (to switch off), which is a separable verb. In a main clause, the conjugated part (schakelt) takes the verb-second position, while the prefix (uit) is sent to the very end of the sentence.
Why does niet come right before uit?
When negating an action involving a separable verb, the word niet typically goes right before the separated prefix at the end of the clause.
Why do we say geen gevaar instead of niet gevaar?
You use geen (meaning 'no' or 'not a') to negate a noun that doesn't have a definite article (de or het). Since 'danger' here is a general noun without an article, it requires geen.
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