Breakdown of Ik draag dit regenpak nooit, behalve als het buiten echt begint te plensen.
ik
I
buiten
outside
beginnen
to begin
dit
this (neuter)
dragen
to wear
het
it
nooit
never
echt
real; really (genuinely)
te
to (infinitive marker)
behalve als
except if / unless
het regenpak
the rainsuit
plensen
to pour (rain)
Questions & Answers about Ik draag dit regenpak nooit, behalve als het buiten echt begint te plensen.
Why are the verbs at the very end of the second half of the sentence?
The phrase behalve als (except if / unless) acts as a subordinating conjunction. This means it introduces a dependent clause and pushes all the verbs in that clause, which are begint and te plensen, to the very end of the sentence.
Could I use tenzij instead of behalve als in this sentence?
Yes, tenzij is a direct synonym for behalve als meaning unless. It is also a subordinating conjunction, so it requires the exact same word order: ...tenzij het buiten echt begint te plensen.
Why do we need the word te in the verb cluster begint te plensen?
The verb beginnen (to begin / to start) requires the preposition te before the infinitive of the following verb. This is very similar to how we say 'starts to pour' in English. Because this is a subordinate clause, begint, te, and plensen group together at the end.
Is plensen the standard word for raining heavily?
Plensen is a very common, expressive verb meaning to pour or rain heavily. Another standard and widely used alternative you will hear is gieten, which literally means to pour.
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