Questions & Answers about Wat wij eisen, is gelijkheid.
Why does the verb is come immediately after the comma?
This sentence uses a "pseudo-cleft" structure to put a spotlight on the word gelijkheid (equality). The entire first clause, Wat wij eisen, acts as a single, large subject for the main sentence. Because this subject clause occupies the first position in the sentence, the main verb is must take the second position, directly following the comma.
Why is the word order wij eisen instead of eisen wij?
The phrase Wat wij eisen functions as a subordinate clause. In Dutch subordinate clauses, the verb is always pushed to the end. Therefore, the subject wij comes first, followed by the verb eisen at the end of the clause.
Is the comma between eisen and is strictly necessary?
Yes. In Dutch, when a subordinate clause comes at the beginning of a sentence and acts as the subject or object of the main clause, you typically separate them with a comma. It visually separates the two verbs (eisen and is) and makes the sentence much easier to read.
How strong of a word is eisen compared to other verbs for asking?