Breakdown of Wanneer ik hem morgen opbel, wil ik onmiddellijk een antwoord.
ik
I
morgen
tomorrow
hem
him
willen
to want
wanneer
when
het antwoord
the answer
opbellen
to call
onmiddellijk
immediate
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Questions & Answers about Wanneer ik hem morgen opbel, wil ik onmiddellijk een antwoord.
Why use wanneer instead of als in this sentence?
wanneer is the standard conjunction for “when” in temporal clauses, expressing that something will certainly happen at a specific time. als in Dutch often means “if” (a condition) or refers to repeated events. Since you want to say “When I call him tomorrow,” you need wanneer.
Why is the verb opbel placed at the end of the clause wanneer ik hem morgen opbel?
In Dutch subordinate clauses, the finite verb and any separable prefix move to the end. The infinitive opbellen splits in main clauses (ik bel hem op), but in a subordinate clause you reattach the prefix, hence ik hem morgen opbel.
Why is there a comma between the subordinate clause and the main clause?
Dutch punctuation rules require a comma when a subordinate clause comes before the main clause. Here the clause starting with wanneer precedes the main clause, so they are separated by a comma.
Why does the main clause start with wil ik instead of ik wil?
Because a subordinate clause (wanneer ik hem morgen opbel) occupies the first position, the main clause undergoes inversion. The finite verb (wil) comes first, then the subject (ik), so it becomes wil ik.
What is the structure and meaning of the separable verb opbellen?
opbellen means “to call someone on the phone.” It is separable:
- In a main clause you split the prefix and place it at the end (ik bel hem op).
- In subordinate clauses the prefix attaches to the verb at the end (ik hem morgen opbel).
Why is the time adverb morgen placed after the object hem?
Dutch clause order typically runs Subject–Object–Time–Manner–Place–Verb. Here we have ik (subject), hem (object), morgen (time), and then the verb opbel at the end.
Why is onmiddellijk placed before een antwoord?
Adverbs of manner or degree (like onmiddellijk) precede the object in Dutch main clauses (and after inversion). So wil ik onmiddellijk een antwoord places onmiddellijk before the noun phrase een antwoord.