Breakdown of Omdat de rits van mijn rugzak kapot is, stop ik mijn sjaal en de kersen in Anna’s tas.
ik
I
zijn
to be
Anna
Anna
in
in
en
and
mijn
my
omdat
because
van
of
de tas
the bag
de rugzak
the backpack
kapot
broken
stoppen
to put
de rits
the zipper
de sjaal
the scarf
de kers
the cherry
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Questions & Answers about Omdat de rits van mijn rugzak kapot is, stop ik mijn sjaal en de kersen in Anna’s tas.
Why is the verb is at the end of the subordinate clause introduced by omdat, giving us … kapot is rather than placing it in second position?
In Dutch, subordinate clauses (introduced by conjunctions like omdat) use verb-final word order: the finite verb moves to the very end of the clause. The adjective kapot is part of the predicate and remains directly before the verb, so you get … kapot is.
Why does the main clause read stop ik instead of ik stop after the comma?
Once you start a sentence with a subordinate clause (Omdat … kapot is,), that entire clause counts as the “first element.” Dutch main clauses always put the finite verb in second position, so when the subordinate clause comes first, the verb jumps to the front of the new clause, yielding inversion: stop ik.
Why is the zipper referred to as de rits van mijn rugzak instead of something like mijn rugzaks rits?
Dutch typically uses the van + noun/pronoun construction to express possession for inanimate objects:
- de rits van mijn rugzak = “the zipper of my backpack.”
Forming a compound noun like rugzakrits isn’t common, and mijn rugzaks rits (using ’s for possession) isn’t standard here.
How do you form the possessive for a name like Anna’s tas, and why is there an apostrophe?
You have two common options in Dutch for possession:
- de tas van Anna
- Add -s to the name: Annas tas
Because Anna ends with an unstressed vowel, you insert an apostrophe before the s to signal the extra sound: Anna’s tas.
Why is the adjective kapot placed before the verb is, rather than after it (as in English “is broken”)?
In a normal clause (even a subordinate one), predicative adjectives come before the linking verb in Dutch:
- Main clause: De rits is kapot.
- Subordinate: … omdat de rits kapot is.
Why do we use stoppen in instead of leggen or zetten to express “put into”?
- stoppen in implies “placing/stuffing into a (usually enclosed) container.”
- leggen means “to lay (horizontally).”
- zetten means “to set/put (upright).”
Here, since you’re putting items inside Anna’s bag, stoppen in is the natural choice.
Why is there a comma between … kapot is and stop ik?
When a subordinate clause (Omdat … kapot is) precedes the main clause, it’s standard (though the comma can be optional) to separate them with a comma for clarity before starting the main clause.
Why is the article de used before kersen, and could we omit it?
- All Dutch plural nouns take de (never het).
- Using de kersen makes them definite (“the cherries”).
If you wanted an indefinite plural (“some cherries”), you’d say kersen or een paar kersen without an article.
How are the objects ordered in stop ik mijn sjaal en de kersen in Anna’s tas?
The default order with a direct object and a prepositional object is:
- Verb (stop)
- Direct object(s) (mijn sjaal en de kersen)
- Prepositional phrase (in Anna’s tas)
You can technically reorder for emphasis, but this V-DO-PP pattern is the norm in Dutch.
What’s the difference between omdat and want, both meaning “because”?
- omdat is a subordinating conjunction and sends its verb to the end of the clause (verb-final).
- want is a coordinating conjunction (like “for” in English) and keeps the verb in second position; you generally don’t start a sentence with want in formal written Dutch.