Breakdown of Zodra de aflevering vastloopt, kun je het platform herstarten.
kunnen
can
je
you (unstressed form of jij)
zodra
as soon as
herstarten
to restart
vastlopen
to freeze (computers, machines)
het platform
the platform (general, stage)
de aflevering
the episode
Questions & Answers about Zodra de aflevering vastloopt, kun je het platform herstarten.
Why is it kun je instead of je kunt in the second half of the sentence?
The entire first clause, Zodra de aflevering vastloopt, acts as the first block of information. Because Dutch follows the Verb-Second (V2) rule, the main verb kun must take the second position, pushing the subject je to the third. This causes the exact same inversion you get when starting a sentence with a topic phrase like Wat dat betreft.
Vastlopen (to freeze/crash) is a separable verb. Why isn't it split up here?
The word zodra (as soon as) introduces a subordinate clause, which pushes all verbs to the end. When a conjugated separable verb is sent to the end of a subordinate clause, its prefix and core verb snap back together into a single word: vastloopt.
Can vastlopen be used for other things besides a video freezing?
Yes! It literally translates to "running stuck." While it is the standard term for computers, apps, or screens freezing and crashing, you can also use it metaphorically. For example, a negotiation, a project, or a conversation can vastlopen if it hits a dead end.
Is herstarten a separable verb?
No, verbs starting with the prefix her- (meaning "re-") are inseparable. In a simple main clause, you would say Ik herstart het platform rather than splitting it. As a bonus, because it is inseparable, it doesn't get a ge- prefix in the past participle: Ik heb het platform herstart.
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