Learn Hardcore Dutch: We nemen voldoende water mee zodat niemand halverwege dorst krijgt. - We take enough water with us so that no one gets thirsty halfway.

Meenemen is a separable verb in Dutch. In main clauses, the prefix mee detaches and goes to the end of the clause. That’s why you see We nemen water mee instead of one word We meenemen water.

What’s the difference between voldoende and genoeg when talking about water?

Both words mean “enough.” Genoeg is more colloquial and can appear before or after a noun (e.g. genoeg water or water genoeg in certain contexts). Voldoende is slightly more formal and normally precedes the noun: voldoende water.

Why does the verb krijgt come at the end of the clause after zodat?

Zodat is a subordinating conjunction (“so that”). In Dutch subordinate clauses, the finite verb moves to the end. Hence niemand halverwege dorst krijgt rather than niemand halverwege krijgt dorst in this structure.

Could I use opdat instead of zodat here?

You could, but opdat is more formal and somewhat old-fashioned. It also traditionally pairs with a subjunctive or dat + indicative. Most speakers prefer zodat in everyday language.

What does halverwege mean, and can I place it elsewhere in the sentence?

Halverwege means “halfway (through).” In the subordinate clause it normally goes before the verb: niemand halverwege dorst krijgt. You could say halverwege krijgt niemand dorst, but that shifts the emphasis and sounds less neutral.

Why is there no article before water?

Water is an uncountable mass noun in this sentence. In Dutch, uncountable nouns referring to a general quantity don’t take an article: voldoende water simply means “enough water.”

Why do we use niemand instead of niet iemand?

Niemand is the indefinite pronoun for “nobody.” Niet iemand would literally translate to “not someone,” which is not how you express “nobody” in Dutch. Always use niemand for “nobody.”