Breakdown of Behoudens deze uitzondering handhaven wij elk voorschrift in de fabriek.
wij
we
in
in
deze
this / these
de fabriek
the factory
elk
each, every
de uitzondering
the exception
behoudens
subject to / except for
handhaven
to enforce / to maintain (rules, order)
het voorschrift
regulation / instruction
Questions & Answers about Behoudens deze uitzondering handhaven wij elk voorschrift in de fabriek.
Does behoudens mean 'except for' or 'subject to' here?
It can mean both! Behoudens is a formal preposition meaning 'subject to', 'saving', or 'with the exception of'. In this sentence, saying 'Subject to this exception' or 'Except for this exception' has the exact same result: the rules apply everywhere else. It is mostly used in legal or formal business contexts.
Why is the verb handhaven placed before the subject wij?
Because the sentence starts with the prepositional phrase Behoudens deze uitzondering. In Dutch, whenever you put a phrase like this at the very beginning of the sentence, the verb and subject must swap places (inversion) so that the working verb stays in the second logical position.
Why is it elk voorschrift instead of elke voorschrift?
Voorschrift is a neuter noun (a het word). When you use elk (meaning 'every' or 'each') with a singular het word, it does not get an extra -e at the end. If you used a de word like regel (rule) instead, you would say elke regel.
Could I use the more common word behalve instead of behoudens in this sentence?
Grammatically, yes. You could say Behalve deze uitzondering, but behoudens sounds much more formal and administrative. This elevated tone fits perfectly with official vocabulary like handhaven (to enforce) and voorschrift (regulation).
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