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Pas als we vliegen, mag je de laptop aanzetten.

Pas als we vliegen, mag je de laptop aanzetten.
Only when we fly, are you allowed to turn on the laptop.
From Lesson 325:Restrictive conditional clauses (pas als, alleen wanneer)·Dutch

Questions & Answers about Pas als we vliegen, mag je de laptop aanzetten.

Why does mag come before je in the second part of the sentence?
The restrictive conditional clause Pas als we vliegen is placed at the front of the sentence. Because it occupies the first position, the main clause must undergo inversion to keep the finite verb mag in the second position. The subject je therefore moves after the verb.
Could I use alleen wanneer instead of pas als here?
Yes, starting with Alleen wanneer we vliegen is grammatically correct. However, pas als emphasizes a timeline or a wait (meaning 'not until'), which perfectly fits the context of waiting for takeoff. Alleen wanneer focuses strictly on a logical condition (meaning 'under the sole condition that').
Why is the separable verb aanzetten written as a single word at the end of the sentence?
The main clause uses the conjugated modal verb mag, which pushes the action verb aanzetten to the very end of the sentence in its full infinitive form. When a separable verb acts as an infinitive at the end of a sentence, its prefix (aan) and the base verb (zetten) are written together as one word.
Why use the verb mag instead of kan in this context?
The verb mogen (conjugated here as mag) specifically expresses permission. Using kan (from kunnen) would imply having the technical ability or physical power to turn the laptop on, whereas this sentence is about following flight crew rules.

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