Learn Hardcore Dutch: Winnen lukt beter als je snel een slim plan kunt verzinnen. - You can win more easily if you can quickly come up with a clever plan.

In Dutch, it’s common to use an infinitive as the subject to talk about activities in general. Here, Winnen (“winning”) serves as the subject of the sentence, referring to the general concept of winning rather than a specific person’s action.

What does the verb lukt mean in this context?

Lukt comes from the verb lukken, which means “to succeed” or “to work out.” In this sentence, it indicates that winning is more achievable or effective under the right conditions.

What role does als play in the sentence?

Als functions as a subordinating conjunction that translates to “if” (or sometimes “when”). It introduces the condition under which winning becomes more likely or successful.

Why is the verb phrase kunt verzinnen placed at the very end of the subordinate clause?

In Dutch subordinate clauses, the conjugated (or modal) verb and its accompanying infinitive are typically placed at the end of the clause. That’s why kunt verzinnen (“can come up with”) appears at the end of the clause introduced by als.

How are adjectives like slim positioned in Dutch noun phrases such as een slim plan?

In Dutch, adjectives usually come directly before the noun they modify. Here, slim (“clever” or “smart”) correctly precedes plan (“plan”), forming the noun phrase een slim plan.

Why is the adverb snel placed before een slim plan in the clause?

The adverb snel (“quickly”) is placed before the noun phrase to describe the manner in which the action is performed—it tells us how quickly you should be able to come up with a plan. This positioning is typical in Dutch when modifying the action that follows.

What would be a natural English translation of the whole sentence?

A natural translation is: “Winning works out better if you can quickly come up with a clever plan.” This translation preserves the original’s conditional structure and overall meaning.