Breakdown of Maak de klei soepel zoals ik het nu doe.
ik
I
nu
now
maken
to make
doen
to do
het
it
zoals
such as, like
de klei
the clay
soepel
supple
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.
Learn Maak de klei soepel zoals ik het nu doe and more in Dutch
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free