Breakdown of Zodra het anker valt, is niemand meer zeeziek.
zijn
to be
vallen
to fall
niemand
no one
meer
more
zodra
as soon as
het anker
the anchor
zeeziek
seasick
Questions & Answers about Zodra het anker valt, is niemand meer zeeziek.
Why is the verb is placed before niemand in the second half of the sentence?
This is because of the V2 (verb-second) rule. The entire first clause (Zodra het anker valt) counts as the first block of information. Because of this, the main verb (is) must take the second position, swapping places with the subject (niemand).
How does zodra affect the word order in the first clause?
The word zodra means as soon as, and it is a subordinating conjunction. This means it introduces a dependent clause, which pushes the verb (valt) to the very end of that clause, right before the comma.
Could I use a directional spatial adverb like naar beneden with valt here?
You could, but it is not necessary. Because the verb valt (falls) already implies a downward motion, adding naar beneden (downwards) is somewhat redundant. Dutch speakers usually keep it simple and just say het anker valt when dropping an anchor.
How does niemand meer work in this sentence?
You are likely already familiar with niet meer meaning not anymore. In Dutch, you can pair meer with other negative words to create similar phrases. Niemand meer means nobody anymore, and you can similarly use niets meer to mean nothing anymore.
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