Ik neem mijn paraplu mee als het regent.

I

Breakdown of Ik neem mijn paraplu mee als het regent.

• het: it
• mijn: my
• meenemen: to take along
• als: when
• regenen: to rain
• de paraplu: the umbrella

Questions & Answers about Ik neem mijn paraplu mee als het regent.

How does the separable verb “meenemen” function in this sentence?

“Meenemen” is a separable verb that consists of the base verb “nemen” (to take) and the separable prefix “mee” (along). In a main clause in Dutch, the prefix is detached and placed at the end. That’s why the sentence is structured as “Ik neem mijn paraplu mee” instead of keeping “meenemen” together.

What does the word “als” mean and how is it used here?

In this sentence, “als” means if. It introduces a conditional subordinate clause (“als het regent”), establishing the condition under which the main action (taking the umbrella) takes place.

Why is the verb “regent” in the form it appears in the subordinate clause?

“Regent” is the third person singular present tense form of “regenen” (to rain). The subject “het” (it) is impersonal here, so the verb agrees with it. This form indicates a general, habitual, or current condition—namely, that it rains.

What role does the possessive “mijn” play in the sentence?

“Mijn” is the possessive adjective meaning my. It modifies “paraplu” (umbrella) to indicate ownership. Its placement directly before the noun is typical in Dutch, just as in English.

Can the conditional clause be moved to the beginning of the sentence, and does that change the structure?

Yes, the subordinate clause can be placed at the start. For example, you can say “Als het regent, neem ik mijn paraplu mee.” When placed first, a comma is used to separate the clauses, and the main clause still respects the verb-second rule. The meaning remains the same despite the change in order.

Why is the separable prefix “mee” positioned at the end of the sentence?

In Dutch main clauses, when using separable verbs like “meenemen,” the prefix splits from the base verb and is placed at the end. This is a standard grammatical rule in Dutch sentence structure, which distinguishes it from the infinitive form where the verb is whole (for example, “Ik ga mijn paraplu meenemen”).

Why is there no comma before “als het regent” in this construction?

In Dutch, when a subordinate clause follows the main clause—as in “Ik neem mijn paraplu mee als het regent”—a comma is generally not required. The conjunction “als” clearly signals the start of the subordinate clause, so the sentence flows naturally without additional punctuation.