Learn Hardcore Dutch: Als je wilt verven, hoef je niet alles meteen af te hebben; neem rustig de tijd. - If you want to paint, you do not have to finish everything right away; take your time.

Als translates to if. It introduces the conditional clause "if you want to paint," establishing the condition under which the advice in the rest of the sentence applies.

What does verven mean in this context?

Verven means to paint. While it can also mean to dye in different contexts, here it clearly refers to the act of painting, such as painting a room or an object.

How does the modal verb hoeven function in the clause hoef je niet alles meteen af te hebben?

Hoef comes from hoeven, which is used to express that there is no necessity. In this sentence, hoef je niet means you don’t have to, indicating that it isn’t required to finish everything immediately. Notice that the key action verb phrase af te hebben (to have finished) is placed at the end—this is typical in Dutch modal constructions.

What do the words alles meteen af te hebben collectively mean?

Alles means everything, meteen means immediately or right away, and af te hebben means to have finished or completed. So, together, they convey that you don’t need to have everything finished immediately.

Why is the subject omitted in the imperative neem rustig de tijd?

In Dutch imperatives, just like in English, the subject is left out because it is implicitly understood to be the person being addressed (i.e., you). Neem rustig de tijd directly commands the listener to take your time without explicitly mentioning the subject.

What is the role of the semicolon in this sentence?

The semicolon links two closely related parts of the sentence. The first part, hoef je niet alles meteen af te hebben, explains that there’s no rush to finish everything, while the second part, neem rustig de tijd, offers the advice to relax and take your time. The semicolon emphasizes the pause between these ideas while keeping them connected.