Breakdown of Als we niets doen, wordt het probleem alleen maar erger.
wij
we
worden
to get
als
if
doen
to do
niets
nothing
het probleem
the problem
erger
worse
alleen maar
only
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Questions & Answers about Als we niets doen, wordt het probleem alleen maar erger.
Why is the verb wordt used here instead of is?
In Dutch, to express that something “gets” or “becomes” worse, you use the verb worden (to become), not zijn (to be). So “het probleem wordt erger” means “the problem is getting worse” or “becomes worse.” Using is would only describe a static state (“the problem is worse”), not the process of worsening.
Why does wordt come before het probleem in the main clause?
Because the sentence begins with a subordinate clause (Als we niets doen), Dutch grammar requires inversion in the main clause. The conjugated verb (wordt) must occupy the first position of the main clause, pushing the subject (het probleem) to position two.
Why is there a comma after Als we niets doen?
When a subordinate clause precedes the main clause in Dutch, it is standard to separate them with a comma. This comma marks the end of the “if”–clause and the start of the inverted main clause.
What does alleen maar mean in alleen maar erger?
Alleen maar is an intensifier meaning “only,” “merely,” or “just.” Here it emphasizes that doing nothing will make the problem only worse—i.e. it can only get worse, not better. In English you might translate alleen maar erger as “even worse” or “nothing but worse.”
Could I use niks instead of niets in Als we niets doen?
Yes. Niks is the colloquial (informal) variant of niets, and they mean exactly the same thing (“nothing”). Use niets in formal writing and niks in everyday speech.
Why is the conjunction als used here? Could I use wanneer instead?
Als introduces a conditional clause equivalent to English “if.” Wanneer normally introduces temporal clauses (“when,” referring to a point in time) rather than hypothetical conditions. Since this is a conditional sentence (“If we do nothing…”), als is the correct choice.