Breakdown of Gaan we gelijkspelen? Ik geloof van wel.
ik
I
gaan
to go / to go off (of an alarm)
geloven
to believe
we
we (unstressed form of wij)
van wel
so / that it is
gelijkspelen
to draw (to tie a game or match)
Questions & Answers about Gaan we gelijkspelen? Ik geloof van wel.
Why do we use van wel instead of translating "so" literally?
In Dutch, when you want to substitute an entire affirmative clause (like "that we are going to draw") after verbs of thought or communication (like geloven, denken, or vinden), you must use van wel. You cannot literally translate "so" as zo, because zo means "in this manner" or "this way".
If I wanted to say "I don't believe so" instead, how would I change the second sentence?
You would simply say Ik geloof van niet. Just as van wel acts as a placeholder for an affirmative clause, van niet replaces a negative clause (meaning "I believe that we are not going to draw").
Could I just answer with Ik geloof het?
You could, but the nuance is slightly different. Ik geloof het translates closer to "I believe it" (often meaning you accept a stated fact or excuse), whereas Ik geloof van wel specifically means "I believe so" (expressing your expectation about the outcome).
Why is gelijkspelen written as a single word here? Is it a separable verb?
Yes, gelijkspelen (to draw or tie) is a separable verb made of gelijk (equal) and spelen (to play). It is written as a single word here because it acts as an infinitive at the end of the clause, triggered by the auxiliary verb gaan. If you used it as the conjugated verb in a normal main clause, it would split: Wij spelen gelijk.
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