Word
Hoewel het onmogelijk is, zou dit de ideale vakantie zijn als we konden kiezen.
Meaning
Although it is impossible, this would be the ideal holiday if we could choose.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Breakdown of Hoewel het onmogelijk is, zou dit de ideale vakantie zijn als we konden kiezen.
zijn
to be
de vakantie
the holiday
dit
this (neuter)
kiezen
to choose
Questions & Answers about Hoewel het onmogelijk is, zou dit de ideale vakantie zijn als we konden kiezen.
Why does the sentence use the past tense konden when talking about a present or future holiday?
Because it is a hypothetical situation. Just like in English ('if we could choose'), Dutch uses the simple past tense (konden) after als to show that a condition is imaginary or not actually happening.
Why is the word order zou dit instead of dit zou?
This is the V2 rule in action. The entire first clause (Hoewel het onmogelijk is) counts as the first position of the main sentence. The conjugated verb zou must take the second position, which pushes the subject dit to the third position.
Why is zijn placed before als and not at the very end of the entire sentence?
The infinitive zijn belongs to the main clause (zou dit de ideale vakantie zijn). In Dutch, the infinitive goes to the end of its own clause, not the end of the entire sentence. The word als starts a brand new dependent clause, so zijn stops right before it.
Why is the verb is at the end of the first clause, right before the comma?
The word hoewel (although) introduces a dependent clause. In Dutch dependent clauses, the conjugated verb (is) is always pushed to the very end of that specific clause.