Breakdown of Toch durf ik straks even naar buiten, ook al is het verschrikkelijk koud.
ik
I
zijn
to be
naar
to
het
it
buiten
outside
ook al
even though
even
just
koud
cold
straks
later
toch
yet
durven
to dare
verschrikkelijk
terribly
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Questions & Answers about Toch durf ik straks even naar buiten, ook al is het verschrikkelijk koud.
What does Toch mean at the beginning of the sentence?
Toch here means “nevertheless” or “still” – it signals that despite whatever was said or implied before, you’re going to do it anyway.
Why is the word order Toch durf ik instead of Toch ik durf?
When you start a Dutch sentence with an adverbial element like Toch, the finite verb must come immediately after it, pushing the subject into second position. That’s why you get inversion: Toch durf ik...
What does straks mean in this context?
Straks means “in a moment” or “later (today).” It refers to the near future, not “last week” or anything far off.
Why is even used here before naar buiten?
Even softens the statement, indicating you’ll go out “just for a little while” or “briefly.” It’s a common way to make an action seem quick or minor.
Why does the sentence omit te gaan after naar buiten?
Dutch often drops the infinitive when the meaning is clear. Instead of saying durf ik straks even naar buiten te gaan, you can simply say durf ik straks even naar buiten – the “to go” is understood and therefore left out.
What does ook al mean in ook al is het verschrikkelijk koud?
Ook al means “even though” or “although.” It introduces a contrast: you’ll go out despite the terrible cold.
Shouldn’t a subordinate clause introduced by ook al push the verb to the end?
Normally, a subordinating conjunction does send the verb to the end. But when ook al starts a clause in colloquial or coordinating use, it behaves like a fronted adverbial, so it triggers inversion instead of verb-final word order: ook al is het... rather than ook al het... is.
Why is het used in het verschrikkelijk koud is?
In Dutch weather or impersonal statements you use a dummy subject het, just like English uses “it” in “it’s cold.” There’s no specific “it” you’re talking about; het is just a placeholder.
Is verschrikkelijk an adjective here?
No – in verschrikkelijk koud it’s an adverbial intensifier meaning “terribly” or “awfully,” modifying the adjective koud.
What part of speech is buiten in naar buiten?
Here buiten is an adverb meaning “outside.” Combined with the preposition naar, naar buiten literally means “to outside,” i.e. “out.”
How do you normally use durven with another verb? Do you always need te?
The standard pattern is durven + te + infinitive (e.g. ik durf niet te zwemmen). In informal speech or when the action is very clear, you can drop the infinitive clause altogether, as in durf ik straks even naar buiten. If you include the verb, you keep te (i.e. durf ik straks even naar buiten te gaan).