Breakdown of Deze situatie lijkt vreemd, maar je kunt het vast wel aankunnen als je rustig blijft.
maar
but
het
it
kunnen
can
als
if
je
you
lijken
to seem
rustig
calm
blijven
to remain
vreemd
strange
de situatie
the situation
vast wel
surely
aankunnen
to handle
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Questions & Answers about Deze situatie lijkt vreemd, maar je kunt het vast wel aankunnen als je rustig blijft.
What does the phrase lijken vreemd mean in this sentence?
It means "seems strange." The verb lijken translates to "to seem" or "to appear," and vreemd means "strange" or "odd." Together, they note that the situation appears unusual.
How should I interpret je kunt het vast wel aankunnen?
This part translates roughly to "you can probably manage it." Here, je kunt means "you can," het refers back to "deze situatie" (the situation), vast wel adds an element of certainty—similar to "definitely" or "surely"—and aankunnen means "to handle" or "to manage."
What role does the word als play in the sentence?
Als means "if" in English and is used to introduce a conditional clause. In the sentence, als je rustig blijft translates to "if you stay calm," setting the condition under which you can manage the situation.
Why is the pronoun het used in je kunt het vast wel aankunnen?
The pronoun het is used as a substitute for a noun or noun phrase already mentioned—in this case, deze situatie (this situation). This helps avoid repetition by referring back to the situation without restating it.
What does the expression vast wel convey in this sentence?
Vast wel is an idiomatic expression that adds a sense of assurance or likelihood. It implies a strong possibility—comparable to "probably" or "indeed"—that you will be capable of handling the situation if you maintain your composure.