Learn Dutch: Je hoeft maar te vragen of de conciërge regelt het. - You only have to ask, and the concierge arranges it.

This is a special conditional structure. The first part, Je hoeft maar te vragen, sets a minimal condition (You only need to ask). The word of connects it to the guaranteed result, de conciërge regelt het (and the concierge arranges it). It emphasizes that doing one small, easy thing is enough to trigger the result immediately.

Doesn't of usually mean 'or' or 'whether'? Why is it translated as 'and' here?

Normally, of does mean 'or' or 'whether'. However, in this specific hoeven maar ... of idiom, it acts more like 'and immediately' or 'and then'. It links the small action directly to its inevitable consequence.

Why is the word order after of a normal main clause (de conciërge regelt het) instead of sending the verb to the end?

When of means 'whether', it acts as a subordinating conjunction and pushes the verb to the end of the clause. But in this specific structure, of acts as a coordinating conjunction, just like en or maar. Because of this, it doesn't change the word order, keeping the standard Subject-Verb pattern.

Why does conciërge have a trema (the two dots) on the e?