Learn Hardcore Dutch: Als de voorraad opraakt, laat ik direct nieuwe flessen bezorgen. - If the stock runs out, I immediately have new bottles delivered.

opraakt is the third-person singular present tense of the separable verb op·raken, which means “to run out.” In a subordinate clause (one introduced by a conjunction like als), the separable prefix op attaches to the verb, so you write opraakt instead of splitting it.

Why is the verb placed at the end of Als de voorraad opraakt?

In Dutch subordinate clauses (introduced by words such as als, omdat, wanneer), the finite verb moves to the very end. That’s why opraakt comes after de voorraad.

Why is als used here instead of wanneer, and what’s the difference?

Use als for general, repeated or conditional situations (“whenever/if”). Use wanneer for specific moments in time (often in questions or one-off events).
• Here, it’s a general condition: whenever the stock runs out, something happens → als.
• If you meant one particular moment (“at the moment the stock runs out”), you could choose wanneer.

What exactly does laat ik direct nieuwe flessen bezorgen mean? Is it passive?

It’s a causative construction using laten + infinitive. It means “I have new bottles delivered immediately.”
• It is not a passive voice.
• The subject (ik) causes or arranges for someone else (e.g. a delivery service) to do the action.

Why does laat come before ik? Shouldn’t the subject start the clause?

In a main clause Dutch follows the V2-rule: the finite verb must occupy the second “slot.” Here the first “slot” is taken by the introductory subordinate clause Als de voorraad opraakt, so in the main clause the verb appears before the subject:

[Als de voorraad opraakt],
[laat (V) ik (S) direct nieuwe flessen bezorgen].

What’s the function of direct here? Could you use meteen instead?

direct means “immediately.” You can generally swap it for meteen with no change in meaning:
• laat ik direct nieuwe flessen bezorgen
• laat ik meteen nieuwe flessen bezorgen
Both are correct; direct can sound slightly more formal or borrowed.

Why is there no article before nieuwe flessen?

In Dutch, indefinite plural nouns do not take an article.
• nieuwe flessen = “new bottles” (in general, plural, indefinite)
If you wanted definite you’d say de nieuwe flessen; if singular indefinite you’d say een nieuwe fles.

Why is there a comma after opraakt?

When a subordinate clause comes before the main clause, Dutch punctuation requires a comma to separate them. Here Als de voorraad opraakt is that leading subordinate clause.

Could you also say Wanneer de voorraad op is instead of Als de voorraad opraakt?

Yes, you can. That version uses:
• zijn + op (“to be out of”) instead of op·raken (“to run out”)
• wanneer (a temporal conjunction)
Example: Wanneer de voorraad op is, laat ik direct nieuwe flessen bezorgen. Both sentences work; just note the slight nuance between als vs. wanneer and opraakt vs. op is.