Als we in betere conditie zouden zijn, dan konden we misschien sneller wandelen.

If we were in better shape, we could perhaps walk faster.

Breakdown of Als we in betere conditie zouden zijn, dan konden we misschien sneller wandelen.

• zijn: to be
• wij: we
• in: in
• beter: better
• als: if
• dan: then
• de conditie: the condition
• kunnen: could
• misschien: perhaps
• sneller: faster
• wandelen: to walk

Questions & Answers about Als we in betere conditie zouden zijn, dan konden we misschien sneller wandelen.

Why does the sentence begin with Als?

Dutch often uses Als meaning if to introduce a condition. It sets up a hypothetical or conditional scenario, similar to 'If we were in better shape...' in English.

What is the role of zouden in zouden zijn?

Zouden is the conditional form of zullen ('will/would'), used here to express a hypothetical situation. Combined with zijn ('to be'), it suggests something along the lines of 'If we were...'.

Why do we use konden rather than kunnen?

Konden is the past tense (or past subjunctive) form of kunnen ('can'). In this conditional context, it translates similarly to 'could' and pairs naturally with zouden to talk about what might happen under a certain condition.

What does misschien add to the sentence?

Misschien means 'maybe' or 'perhaps'. It softens the statement by indicating that the ability to walk faster is not guaranteed—it’s just a possibility.

Is there a specific reason sneller comes before wandelen?

In Dutch, the adverb (here, the comparative sneller, meaning 'faster') typically goes before the infinitive to specify how the action is done. So 'sneller wandelen' is the standard order, indicating 'to walk faster'.