Koste wat het kost, de soldaat blijft vastberaden.
Whatever the cost, the soldier remains determined.
Breakdown of Koste wat het kost, de soldaat blijft vastberaden.
het
it
kosten
to cost
blijven
to stay
de soldaat
the soldier
wat
that / which (relative)
vastberaden
determined
Questions & Answers about Koste wat het kost, de soldaat blijft vastberaden.
Why does the sentence start with Koste instead of the normal present tense Kost?
Koste is the present subjunctive form of kosten (to cost). It is formed by taking the infinitive and dropping the final -n. In fixed expressions like this, the subjunctive expresses a condition or concession, meaning 'may it cost' or 'let it cost.'
If the first word is the subjunctive koste, why does the phrase end with the regular kost?
The phrase literally translates to '[may it] cost what it costs.' The first verb is the formulaic subjunctive (koste), setting up the 'whatever' condition. The second verb is just the standard present tense matching the subject het (het kost).
Since Koste wat het kost comes before the main clause, shouldn't it trigger inversion and become blijft de soldaat?
Usually, starting a sentence with a phrase pushes the main verb to the second position (inversion). However, fixed subjunctive idioms like koste wat het kost often act as detached, parenthetical phrases. The comma signals a break, so the main clause just restarts with normal subject-verb order (de soldaat blijft).
Can I use this subjunctive form to create my own sentences, like wishing a car costs less?
No, the present subjunctive is no longer actively used in modern Dutch to create new sentences. You will only encounter it in frozen, fixed idioms like koste wat het kost (at any cost) or leve de koning (long live the king). For your own everyday thoughts, just use regular verb structures.
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