Misschien roep ik Tom, zodat hij zijn sleutel ook kan opbergen.

Maybe I will call out to Tom, so that he can also store away his key.

Breakdown of Misschien roep ik Tom, zodat hij zijn sleutel ook kan opbergen.

• ik: I
• Tom: Tom
• hij: he
• ook: also
• zijn: his
• zodat: so that
• kunnen: can
• de sleutel: the key
• opbergen: to store away
• misschien: maybe
• roepen: to call out

Questions & Answers about Misschien roep ik Tom, zodat hij zijn sleutel ook kan opbergen.

Why does the sentence begin with 'Misschien'?

Misschien means maybe or perhaps and indicates uncertainty. It sets the tone that the speaker is not completely sure if they will call Tom. You could also move Misschien to a different spot, like after ik, but starting with Misschien places emphasis on the uncertainty.

What does 'zodat' mean in this context?

Zodat is a subordinating conjunction that means so that. It introduces a purpose or result. In this sentence, it shows that calling Tom has the purpose that he can also put away his key.

Why are 'kan' and 'opbergen' at the end of the clause 'zodat hij zijn sleutel ook kan opbergen'?

In Dutch, when you have a subordinate clause introduced by a subordinating conjunction like zodat, the verbs typically move to the end. Because kan is an auxiliary and opbergen is the main verb, they both appear at the end, reflecting typical Dutch subordinate clause word order.

Could I place 'ook' somewhere else in the sentence, like 'zodat hij ook zijn sleutel kan opbergen'?

Yes, ook can move to different positions, but it slightly changes the emphasis. Zodat hij zijn sleutel ook kan opbergen keeps the focus on the key and its inclusion in the action. Saying zodat hij ook zijn sleutel kan opbergen might slightly emphasize he also does this. Both placements are possible, but Dutch often follows a relatively fixed structure in subordinate clauses.

How would the meaning or nuance change if I said 'Misschien zal ik Tom roepen' instead of 'Misschien roep ik Tom'?

Using zal puts the sentence more firmly in a future context, like saying I might call Tom (in the future). The present tense roep can suggest a nearer or more immediate plan, though in conversational Dutch it can still refer to a future action. The difference is subtle and mostly about how certain or immediate the action feels.