Learn Dutch: De werkdruk is onhoudbaar en houdt niet op. - The workload is untenable and does not stop.

It comes from the verb houden (to hold or keep). The suffix -baar works exactly like the English suffix '-able', making houdbaar (sustainable, keepable, or non-perishable). Adding the negative prefix on- makes it onhoudbaar (untenable, unsustainable, or impossible to maintain).

Both halves of the sentence use a form of houden. How does the second one work?

The second clause uses the separable verb ophouden, which means 'to stop' or 'to cease'. Because this is a coordinated main clause following en, the verb splits. The conjugated part houdt takes the normal verb position, and the separable prefix op is pushed to the very end of the sentence.

Why use ophouden instead of stoppen here?

While both translate to 'to stop', stoppen is typically used for halting a physical movement (like a vehicle) or actively quitting an action (like smoking). Ophouden is much more common for ongoing processes, continuous events, or nuisances that come to an end, such as rain, noise, or a relentless workload.

The current lesson is about the consequential particle cluster dan ook. How could we add that to this sentence?