Questions & Answers about Maak de klei soepel zoals ik het nu doe.
Why is the verb doe at the very end of the sentence?
The word zoals (as / the way that) is a subordinating conjunction. This means it introduces a subclause and kicks the conjugated verb (doe) all the way to the end of that clause.
Could I just use als instead of zoals here to mean "as"?
No, because on its own, als usually means "if" or "when" (as in "als het regent" - if it rains). To say "as" in the sense of "in the way that" or "like", you need to use zoals.
The English translation says "as I am doing now", but the Dutch just says doe. Why?
Dutch doesn't use a continuous "-ing" form the way English does for an active sentence like this. Instead of a literal translation for "am doing", you just use the simple present tense doe.
Why is het included in zoals ik het nu doe?
In English, you can just say "as I am doing". But in Dutch, the verb doen (to do) usually needs a direct object when you are referring back to a specific action. Here, het (it) stands in for the whole action of making the clay supple.