Questions & Answers about Na de slag was het zwaard gebroken.
Why is the verb was placed before the subject het zwaard?
Because the sentence starts with the time phrase Na de slag (After the battle). This takes up the first position in the sentence, triggering the V2 rule (verb second). To keep the verb was in the second position, the subject het zwaard must move directly after it.
Is was gebroken the passive voice here, or is it describing a state?
It describes a state. In Dutch, the verb zijn (here in the past tense, was) combined with a past participle often describes the result of an action. If you wanted to describe the actual event of the sword being broken during the battle (the passive action), you would use the verb worden instead, as in werd gebroken.
I know slag means a 'blow' or 'hit'. Why is it translated as 'battle' here?
Slag is a highly versatile word in Dutch. While it does mean a physical blow or strike, in historical or military contexts it means 'battle' (often as a shortened form of veldslag). You will also see it in compound words like zeeslag (naval battle).
Why use na for 'after' instead of achter?
In Dutch, prepositions of time and place are strictly separated in this context. Na is only used for time (meaning 'after' an event, like the battle). Achter is used for physical location (meaning 'behind' a physical object).
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