Breakdown of Naargelang jullie langer vasten, hebben jullie minder voeding nodig.
jullie
you (plural)
hebben
to have
nodig
needed
lang
long
minder
less / fewer
de voeding
the nutrition / the food
naargelang
depending on whether / as (in proportion to)
vasten
to fast
Questions & Answers about Naargelang jullie langer vasten, hebben jullie minder voeding nodig.
Why does the verb vasten come at the end of the first clause?
Naargelang acts as a subordinating conjunction here, meaning 'in proportion as' or 'depending on how.' Like other subordinating conjunctions (such as omdat or hoewel), it kicks the conjugated verb (vasten) to the end of its clause.
Why is it hebben jullie instead of jullie hebben in the second part?
Could I use terwijl instead of naargelang here, since the translation says 'As you fast'?
No, because terwijl only means 'as' in the sense of 'while' or 'during the time that.' Naargelang is used here because it describes a proportional relationship: your need for food changes depending on the length of the fast.
What role is nodig playing at the end of the sentence?
It belongs to the expression nodig hebben, which means 'to need.' In a main clause, the conjugated verb (hebben) takes the second position, while the accompanying word (nodig) gets sent to the very end of the sentence.
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