Breakdown of Ik zal bemiddelen als jij er nu mee helpt.
ik
I
jij
you
nu
now
helpen
to help
zullen
shall / will
als
if / when (condition)
er
it (in 'er ... op/mee', pronominal adverb)
mee
along, with (too)
bemiddelen
to mediate
Questions & Answers about Ik zal bemiddelen als jij er nu mee helpt.
Why is ermee split into er and mee in this sentence?
ermee translates to "with it." In a subordinate clause, it is very common to split these "pronominal adverbs." The er usually goes right after the subject (jij), and the preposition part (mee) gets pushed to the end, right before the verb (helpt). Other adverbs, like the time word nu (now), sit between them.
Could I keep ermee together instead of splitting it?
Yes, you can! It is grammatically correct to say als jij nu ermee helpt. However, splitting it into er nu mee helpt is extremely common and sounds much more natural to Dutch speakers, which is why you are learning this pattern now.
Wait, shouldn't "with" be met? Why are we using mee?
The normal preposition for "with" is indeed met. But when met is combined with er to mean "with it", it always changes its form to mee. This happens whether it is written as one word (ermee) or split apart (er ... mee).
Why is the verb helpt placed at the very end of the sentence?
The word als (if) introduces a subordinate clause (als jij er nu mee helpt). A major rule in Dutch is that in a subordinate clause, all verbs get pushed to the very end.
Why does the sentence use the emphasized jij instead of the regular je?
Using jij emphasizes a contrast or condition between the two people. The speaker is saying: "I will mediate, but only if you help with it." It highlights the deal being made.
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