Learn Dutch: Stel dat we failliet gaan tijdens de groeifase. - Suppose that we go bankrupt during the growth phase.

Stel dat introduces a subordinate clause, which typically pushes all verbs to the end. However, prepositional phrases like tijdens de groeifase can be placed after the verb cluster in Dutch to make the sentence flow better. You could also say Stel dat we tijdens de groeifase failliet gaan, which is equally correct.

Does stel dat always force subordinate word order?

Yes. Because it contains the subordinating conjunction dat, it forces the conjugated verb to the end of the clause. The other conjunction in this lesson, aangenomen dat, works exactly the same way.

How does the phrase failliet gaan behave in this sentence?

Failliet gaan acts like a separable verb. In a normal main clause, it splits (for example, We gaan failliet). But because stel dat creates a subordinate clause, both parts are pushed to the end and stay together.

Could I drop the word dat and just say Stel we gaan failliet?

In informal spoken Dutch, yes. If you drop dat, the sentence turns into a normal main clause with regular word order: Stel, we gaan failliet tijdens de groeifase. However, keeping dat is preferred for formal or written Dutch.