Breakdown of Die vitrine moet verzegeld worden, opdat de vochtigheid laag blijft.
die
that / those (de-words and plurals)
blijven
to stay
moeten
to have to, must
worden
to become
laag
low
de vitrine
the display case
opdat
so that / in order that (purpose)
verzegelen
to seal
de vochtigheid
the humidity
Questions & Answers about Die vitrine moet verzegeld worden, opdat de vochtigheid laag blijft.
Could I use zodat instead of opdat in this sentence?
Yes, and in everyday speech, you almost certainly would! Opdat means exactly the same thing as zodat ("so that" or "in order that") but is much more formal. It strongly emphasizes the intended purpose and is mostly used in written Dutch or official contexts, like museum guidelines for a fragile display case.
Why does the verb blijft go at the very end of the sentence?
Because opdat is a subordinating conjunction. Just like omdat or zodat, it introduces a dependent clause, which forces the conjugated verb (blijft) all the way to the end of that clause.
Why do we need worden at the end of the first clause?
The first clause uses the passive voice with a modal verb (moet). The literal action is "must become sealed". Moet is the conjugated modal verb in position 2, pushing the rest of the verb phrase to the end. Because it is a passive construction, that pushed phrase is the past participle verzegeld followed by the infinitive worden.
What is the difference between a vitrine, an etalage, and a raam?
A vitrine specifically refers to a display case or glass cabinet, like you would see protecting an artifact in a museum or pastries in a bakery. The display window at the front of a shop is an etalage, while a regular glass window in a house or building is a raam.
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