Wij moeten het huiswerk afmaken voordat het te laat is.

to be

Breakdown of Wij moeten het huiswerk afmaken voordat het te laat is.

• wij: we
• het: it
• laat: late
• het huiswerk: the homework
• afmaken: to finish
• voordat: before
• te: too
• moeten: must, have to

Questions & Answers about Wij moeten het huiswerk afmaken voordat het te laat is.

Why is the verb afmaken placed at the end of the sentence?

In Dutch, after an expression like voordat, which introduces a subordinate clause, the main clause typically places the conjugated verb before the object(s). However, when you use a separable verb like afmaken, only the main part of the verb is conjugated in the main clause (here, moeten), and the rest of the verb gets pushed to the end. So, "Wij moeten het huiswerk afmaken" follows the standard Dutch syntax, with afmaken (the infinitive of the separable verb) at the end.

Can I say Wij moeten afmaken het huiswerk voordat het te laat is?

No, that word order sounds unnatural in Dutch. You usually keep the object "het huiswerk" before the infinitive "afmaken" in a main clause with a modal verb. The typical pattern is subject + modal verb + object + main verb.

What does voordat mean, and why is it used here instead of voor?

Voordat is used to introduce a time clause meaning "before." It connects two clauses and indicates that one action must happen earlier than another. In this context, we have the main clause ("Wij moeten het huiswerk afmaken") and a subordinate clause ("voordat het te laat is"). On the other hand, voor is a preposition, often meaning "for" or "before" in a more basic sense, but not suitable for introducing a subordinate clause indicating a time sequence.

Do I always need to have both te and laat when I describe being late?

In Dutch, "te laat" together literally translates to "too late," and it's a common expression indicating being late. You generally cannot omit te from this phrase if you want to preserve the meaning of "too late." If you left out te, you might say "laat," but that would more generally mean "late" and may not capture the urgency or the idea of missing a deadline.

Is there a more casual way to say this sentence in Dutch?

Yes, for example, you could say:"We moeten ons huiswerk afmaken voordat het te laat is." The meaning remains the same, and the tone is slightly more informal, using "we" instead of "wij." Another variation might be:"We moeten eerst dat huiswerk doen voordat we in de problemen komen." which emphasizes the need to finish the homework before facing consequences.