Breakdown of Ook al zijn ze vies, deze handdoeken zijn wasbaar.
zijn
to be
deze
this / these
de handdoek
the towel
vies
dirty
ze
they; she (unstressed form of zij) / them (object)
ook al
even if / even though
wasbaar
washable
Questions & Answers about Ook al zijn ze vies, deze handdoeken zijn wasbaar.
How is the word wasbaar built, and what does the suffix -baar do?
The suffix -baar is attached to the stem of the verb wassen (to wash). It turns a verb into an adjective indicating that something is possible or suitable for that action, working exactly like "-able" or "-ible" in English. Therefore, wasbaar means "washable".
Why doesn't the main clause invert to ...zijn deze handdoeken wasbaar after the comma?
Normally, starting a sentence with a subordinate phrase forces the main clause to invert (putting the verb before the subject). However, ook al (even though) is a famous exception! The main clause that follows it keeps the standard subject-verb order: deze handdoeken zijn wasbaar.
Why is the verb zijn placed right after ook al in the first part of the sentence?
The phrase ook al introduces a special sentence structure. Instead of pushing the verb to the very end like a normal subordinate conjunction does, it is immediately followed by an inverted word order (verb before subject). This is why you see zijn ze vies instead of ze vies zijn.
What would this sentence look like if I used hoewel (although) instead of ook al?
If you used hoewel, you would have to follow the standard grammar rules: the first clause would send its verb to the end, and the main clause would invert. The sentence would become: Hoewel ze vies zijn, zijn deze handdoeken wasbaar.
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