Learn Hardcore Dutch: Tom heeft de rits snel kunnen repareren, zodat de rugzak weer dicht kan. - Tom has been able to repair the zipper quickly, so the backpack can close again.

Dutch uses the auxiliary hebben (or zijn) plus a modal verb (kunnen, moeten, mogen, etc.) and the main verb in the infinitive. The rule is:
• The finite auxiliary (heeft) occupies second position,
• The modal (kunnen) and the main verb infinitive (repareren) are “pushed” to the end.
That creates the double-infinitive structure heeft … kunnen repareren, which is standard for perfect tenses with modals.

Why does the verb kan go to the end in the clause zodat de rugzak weer dicht kan?

Because zodat is a subordinating conjunction. In Dutch subordinate clauses:

The conjunction starts the clause,
The subject follows (here de rugzak),
Any adverbs or objects follow (here weer dicht),
The finite verb comes at the very end (here kan).
Hence you get zodat de rugzak weer dicht kan.

What is the function of zodat, and why can’t we use om te here?

Zodat introduces a result/purpose clause and requires a finite verb. You use it when the second clause has its own subject (here de rugzak).

Om te introduces an infinitive phrase and only works if the subject stays the same in both clauses.
For example:
• Tom repareerde de rits snel om de rugzak weer dicht te krijgen (same subject: Tom)
But you can’t say om
- infinitive if you need a new subject and a conjugated verb. That’s why zodat
  - kan is correct here.

What does weer mean in this context, and why is it placed before dicht?

Weer means again. It indicates that, after the repair, the backpack can once more be closed. In Dutch, adverbs of time or frequency (like weer) typically precede the adjective or adverb they modify, so weer dicht is the natural order.

Is dicht in de rugzak weer dicht kan an adjective, and what is its function?

Here dicht is a predicative adjective describing the state of the backpack (“closed”). With modal verbs you often see the pattern [subject] + [adjective/p.p.] + [modal], e.g. de rugzak dicht kan.

Can we drop kunnen and say Tom heeft de rits snel gerepareerd? What changes in meaning?

Yes, Tom heeft de rits snel gerepareerd is perfectly correct and simply states that the zipper was fixed quickly. By adding kunnen, you emphasise that Tom was able to fix it — it highlights his successful ability or that it could be done, not just that it was done.

Why is snel placed between heeft and kunnen, rather than elsewhere?

In Dutch main clauses with an auxiliary verb, manner adverbs (like snel – “quickly”) usually come after the auxiliary and before the infinitive cluster. So the order is:

Tom (subject)
heeft (auxiliary)
de rits (object)
snel (adverb)
kunnen repareren (modal + main verb infinitives)

Why is the perfect tense used here instead of the simple past? Could we say Tom repareerde de rits snel?

Modern spoken and written Dutch generally prefers the perfect (heeft + infinitives/past participle) for completed actions with present relevance – here, the fact that the backpack can now be closed. The simple past (repareerde) is grammatically correct but feels more narrative or literary; it’s less common when you’re focusing on the current result.