Learn Hardcore Dutch: Als de spaarpot vol is, gaan we samen winkelen. - When the piggy bank is full, we will go shopping together.

Spaarpot is a compound of spaar (‘to save’) and pot (‘pot’). It refers to a piggy bank or any container used at home to collect and save coins.

Why is als used here instead of wanneer?

In Dutch als can introduce a condition (‘if/when this happens’), whereas wanneer is more for specific time points or questions. Here you’re saying “if/when the piggy bank is full (condition), then we’ll go shopping.” als fits that conditional tone better.

Why is there a comma after is and why does gaan come first in the second clause?

Because you start with a subordinate (conditional) clause (Als de spaarpot vol is), you must put a comma before the main clause. After the comma, Dutch follows the inversion rule: the finite verb (gaan) comes in first position, then the subject (we). That’s why you get gaan we samen winkelen.

Could you write the second clause as we gaan samen winkelen without inversion?

Not directly after a fronted subordinate clause. In Dutch, when a subordinate clause precedes the main clause, you invert verb and subject. Only if you start a new sentence could you say:
We gaan samen winkelen.
But as a continuation of the “Als…” clause, inversion is required.

Why is the adjective vol used here? Could you use volledig or geheel?

Vol means “full” in the everyday sense (e.g., a container is full). Volledig or geheel mean “complete” or “entire,” and they’re less natural for containers. You’d say de spaarpot is volledig only if you mean “the piggy bank is completely [prepared/filled out],” not “full of coins.” So stick with vol for physical fullness.

Why is the sentence in the present tense even though it refers to a future event?

Dutch often uses the present tense for planned or definite future actions, just like English (“We leave tomorrow”). Here, gaan we samen winkelen in the present implies a set plan once the condition is met.

What’s the difference between gaan winkelen and winkelen gaan?

They mean the same (“to go shopping”), but gaan winkelen is more common. Dutch places the main verb (winkelen) in the infinitive slot after gaan. You rarely split them into winkelen gaan in everyday speech.

Why is samen placed between gaan and winkelen? Could it go elsewhere?

Adverbs like samen usually come right after the conjugated verb or between the auxiliary and main infinitive (as here). You could also say We gaan morgen samen winkelen, but you wouldn’t normally say We gaan winkelen samen—that sounds odd.

Is this sentence a conditional or a temporal clause?

It’s technically a conditional clause: “If the piggy bank is full…” Yet in casual speech, it can also carry a temporal nuance (“when it happens to be full”). The focus is on a condition that must be met first.