Learn Dutch: Hoewel we haast hebben, wordt het beton nog niet gestort. - Although we are in a hurry, the concrete is not being poured yet.

Hoewel we haast hebben, wordt het beton nog niet gestort.

Although we are in a hurry, the concrete is not being poured yet.

Breakdown of Hoewel we haast hebben, wordt het beton nog niet gestort.

we (unstressed form of wij)

nog

still, yet / more, another (with a quantity)

Questions & Answers about Hoewel we haast hebben, wordt het beton nog niet gestort.

Why do we use nog niet instead of nog geen in this sentence?

We use nog niet because we are negating the action of the verb (the concrete is not being poured yet). You only use nog geen when negating a non-specific noun, as in Er is nog geen beton (There is no concrete yet).

Why does the second half of the sentence start with the verb wordt?

This is the classic Dutch V2 (verb second) rule in action! The entire first clause (Hoewel we haast hebben) counts as the first piece of information. To keep the main verb in the second position, the verb wordt must come immediately after the comma, swapping places with the subject het beton.

What grammar structure gives us the translation 'is not being poured'?

This is the Dutch passive voice, created here by combining the auxiliary verb worden (wordt) with the past participle gestort. Dutch uses worden to show that an ongoing action is being done to the subject.

Why does the Dutch sentence say haast hebben instead of translating 'are in a hurry' word-for-word?

In Dutch, being in a hurry is expressed as 'having hurry'. You use the verb hebben (to have) combined with the noun haast (haste or hurry).