Breakdown of Als achtergrondmuziek kies ik graag iets zachts, zodat ik kan blijven werken.
ik
I
zodat
so that
kunnen
can
werken
to work
graag
gladly
iets
something
als
as
blijven
to keep
zacht
soft
de achtergrondmuziek
the background music
kiezen
to choose
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Questions & Answers about Als achtergrondmuziek kies ik graag iets zachts, zodat ik kan blijven werken.
What is the function of Als achtergrondmuziek at the beginning of the sentence?
It serves as an adverbial phrase indicating the role of the music—that is, it tells us that the music is being used as background music.
Why does the sentence use the word order kies ik instead of ik kies?
In Dutch, when a sentence begins with any element other than the subject (like the adverbial phrase Als achtergrondmuziek), the finite verb must appear in the second position. This inversion results in kies ik instead of the regular subject–verb order.
What does the adverb graag contribute to the meaning of the sentence?
Graag indicates that the speaker likes or enjoys the action. In this context, it expresses that the speaker prefers to choose something soft—implying a positive attitude toward that choice.
Why is the adjective zacht inflected as zachts in the phrase iets zachts?
In Dutch, adjectives that follow an indefinite pronoun like iets (meaning “something”) receive a weak inflection, which typically involves adding an -s ending. Hence, zacht becomes zachts.
What role does the conjunction zodat play in this sentence?
Zodat introduces a subordinate clause that explains the purpose or result. It tells us that the soft background music is chosen so that the speaker can keep working.
How should we understand the structure and meaning of kan blijven werken within the subordinate clause?
The phrase kan blijven werken combines the modal verb kan (meaning “can”) with the infinitive phrase blijven werken (“keep working”). Although subordinate clauses in Dutch often place the finite verb at the end, keeping the modal with its complement in this order is acceptable in modern usage, emphasizing the speaker’s ability to continue working.
Why is there a comma before the zodat clause?
Dutch punctuation rules typically require a comma to separate the main clause from a subordinate clause introduced by a conjunction like zodat. This comma helps to clearly delineate the two parts of the sentence.