Breakdown of Als het apparaat een fout maakt, controleer ik de som zelf.
ik
I
als
if
controleren
to check
maken
to make
het apparaat
the device
de som
the sum
de fout
the mistake
zelf
myself
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Questions & Answers about Als het apparaat een fout maakt, controleer ik de som zelf.
Why is the conjugated verb maakt at the end of the subordinate clause?
In Dutch, subordinate clauses (introduced by als) require the finite verb to move to the end of that clause. That’s why Als het apparaat een fout maakt… places maakt last.
Why is there a comma before controleer ik de som zelf?
When a subordinate clause comes first, you separate it from the main clause with a comma. So after …maakt, you insert a comma before starting the main clause controleer ik….
Why do we say controleer ik de som zelf instead of ik controleer de som zelf?
Whenever a main clause follows a subordinate clause, Dutch uses inversion: the verb comes first, then the subject. This inversion marks the start of the main clause.
What does zelf add to the sentence? Can I leave it out?
Zelf means “myself” or “personally” and emphasises that you check it on your own, without help. You can say Ik controleer de som, but adding zelf stresses “I check it myself.”
Why do we say een fout maken? Could I say een foutmelding krijgen instead?
Een fout maken literally means “to make an error,” common when a machine or program goes wrong. Een foutmelding krijgen means “to get an error message,” focusing on the notification rather than the mistake itself.
Why is it het apparaat instead of de apparaat?
Dutch nouns are either common gender (take de) or neuter (take het). Apparaat is neuter, so it takes het. You generally learn each noun’s article with it or check a dictionary—there’s no foolproof rule.
What does som mean here? Is it the same as totaal or berekening?
Som specifically refers to the result of an addition or arithmetic operation (a sum). Totaal is a more general “total.” Berekening refers to the calculation or process itself.
What’s the difference between als and wanneer in Dutch?
Both can mean “when” or “if,” but als is used for conditional “if” (e.g. Als het regent… = “If it rains…”). Wanneer is used for time-based “when” (e.g. Wanneer kom je? = “When are you coming?”). Using wanneer for a condition sounds odd in everyday speech.