Breakdown of Hij draagt donkere kleren, zodat hij onopvallend blijft.
hij
he / it (referring to a 'de'-word)
dragen
to wear
blijven
to stay
donker
dark
Questions & Answers about Hij draagt donkere kleren, zodat hij onopvallend blijft.
How is the word onopvallend formed, and what is its root?
It comes from the separable verb opvallen (to stand out / catch the eye). First, it becomes the present participle opvallend (striking / conspicuous). Then, by adding the productive negative prefix on-, we get the exact opposite: onopvallend (inconspicuous).
Could I use the prefix on- with any present participle to mean the opposite?
While on- is highly productive, it doesn't work on everything. It generally only attaches to participles that have taken on the role of descriptive adjectives (like opvallend or ontroerend). You cannot add it to participles describing a literal ongoing physical action (you wouldn't say onlopend for "not walking").
Why does the verb blijft go at the very end of the second clause?
The word zodat (so that) is a subordinating conjunction expressing purpose or consequence. In Dutch, subordinate clauses require the conjugated verb (in this case, blijft) to be pushed to the very end of the clause.
Why does donker get an -e ending in donkere kleren even though there is no article?
kleren is a plural noun. Adjectives placed directly before plural nouns always take an -e ending in Dutch, regardless of whether there is a definite article, an indefinite article, or no article at all.