Breakdown of Ik wil dat mijn zussen binnenkomen door de achterdeur, zodat de kat niet naar buiten rent.
ik
I
de kat
the cat
niet
not
naar
to
dat
that
willen
to want
mijn
my
zodat
so that
de zussen
the sisters
binnenkomen
to come in
de achterdeur
the back door
buiten
outside
rennen
to run
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Questions & Answers about Ik wil dat mijn zussen binnenkomen door de achterdeur, zodat de kat niet naar buiten rent.
Why does the sentence use dat before mijn zussen?
In Dutch, when one clause depends on another (like "I want something to happen"), you often need a subordinate conjunction. Here, dat introduces the subordinate clause indicating what you want: your sisters to come in.
What does zodat mean in this context?
Zodat translates roughly to so that or in order that in English. It introduces a purpose or goal, explaining why the sisters should come in through the back door: to prevent the cat from running outside.
Why is door de achterdeur written this way instead of using a different preposition?
In Dutch, door is commonly used to indicate passing through a place or entrance. Door de achterdeur literally means through the back door, indicating the path they take to come inside.
Is binnenkomen a compound verb, and why is it used here?
Yes, binnenkomen is a compound verb formed from binnen (inside) + komen (to come). It specifically means to come inside or to enter, which explains why the sisters enter the house rather than simply coming.
Why do we say rent in the present tense for the cat?
Dutch uses the simple present tense to express actions that can happen in general or as an ongoing possibility. Rent (from rennen) indicates the cat runs or may run outside whenever the door is open, rather than referring to a single completed action.
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