Questions & Answers about Zij komt zo vaak mogelijk.
How does the "as ... as possible" structure work in this sentence?
Dutch uses the pattern zo + [word] + mogelijk. While English says "as often as possible", Dutch literally says "so often possible" (zo vaak mogelijk). The second "as" used in English is simply left out in Dutch.
Doesn't zo usually mean "so"?
Yes, on its own zo usually means "so" (as in Ik ben zo moe - I am so tired). However, in this specific construction with mogelijk (possible), zo translates to the first "as" in "as often as".
Could I use Ze instead of Zij at the start of this sentence?
Yes, you can. Zij and ze both mean "she". You use Zij when you want to put strong emphasis on the person (for example, she comes often, even if he doesn't). In everyday speech without that emphasis, Ze komt zo vaak mogelijk is more common.
Can I use the zo ... mogelijk pattern from this sentence with other words?
Definitely! This is a very common Dutch formula. You can replace vaak (often) with other adverbs or adjectives. For example, zo snel mogelijk (as fast as possible) or zo veel mogelijk (as much as possible).