Learn Hardcore Dutch: Je mag hier alleen parkeren met een vergunning, anders riskeer je een boete. - You may only park here with a permit, otherwise you risk a fine.

The word mag is a modal verb that expresses permission. In this sentence, Je mag means “you are allowed to” or “may,” indicating that parking here is permitted provided you meet the specified condition.

How does alleen function in this sentence? Does its placement affect what is being limited?

Alleen means “only” and is used to restrict the permission. Its placement directly before parkeren emphasizes that you may park here only under the condition that you have a permit. It restricts the action of parking rather than the entire sentence.

What role does the phrase met een vergunning play, and why is it important?

The phrase met een vergunning is a prepositional phrase where met means “with” and een vergunning means “a permit.” This phrase specifies the condition under which parking is allowed, meaning that having a permit is required to park here legally.

Why is there a comma before anders riskeer je een boete, and what does anders contribute to the sentence?

The comma separates the main instruction from the consequence. Anders translates to “otherwise” and introduces the result of not following the parking rule. It informs you that if you park without a permit, you risk getting a fine.

Why does the clause start with anders riskeer je instead of using the more usual subject-verb order?

In Dutch, if a sentence or clause begins with an element other than the subject (in this case, anders), the verb and subject invert their normal order. That is why we see riskeer je instead of je riskeer.

What does the use of je tell us about the formality of the language used?

The pronoun je is the informal form of “you.” Its use in this sentence indicates a casual or neutral tone. In more formal contexts, you might see u used instead.