Breakdown of Als de bel gaat, hang ik eerst mijn ochtendjas op voordat ik opendoe.
ik
I
gaan
to go
mijn
my
eerst
first
voordat
before
als
when
de ochtendjas
the bathrobe
de bel
the bell
ophangen
to hang up
opendoen
to open
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Dutch grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Als de bel gaat, hang ik eerst mijn ochtendjas op voordat ik opendoe.
What does als mean in this context and could I use wanneer instead?
als here means “when” in a temporal sense (“at the moment that”). You can often replace als with wanneer (“when”) without much change in meaning. For a stronger sense of “as soon as,” you could also use zodra.
Why is the verb gaat at the end of the als clause?
In Dutch subordinate clauses introduced by conjunctions like als, the finite verb moves to the end. That’s why you see gaat after de bel, even though in main clauses the verb is second.
Why does hang come before ik in the main clause?
Because the sentence begins with a subordinate clause (Als de bel gaat,), the main clause must start with the verb (position 1 in V2 word order). This causes an inversion: hang ik instead of ik hang.
What is the role of eerst and why is its position important?
eerst means “first.” In Dutch it typically follows the conjugated verb (or the verb‐first position) and precedes the direct object. Here it shows you hang up your robe before opening the door.
Why is voordat used here instead of nadat?
voordat means “before” and introduces an action that happens prior to the main action. nadat means “after,” so using nadat would imply you hang up the robe after opening the door, which reverses the intended sequence.
How does the separable verb opendoen work in this sentence?
opendoen splits in a main clause: the prefix open goes to the end, and the conjugated part (doe) occupies the second position. Hence doe ik … op.
Why is the present tense used for what is essentially a future action?
Dutch commonly uses the present tense for planned or imminent future events, especially when a temporal clause like Als de bel gaat clearly indicates a future moment.
What exactly is an ochtendjas, and is it the same as a badjas?
An ochtendjas is a “morning robe” you slip on after waking or showering; it’s usually lightweight. A badjas is a “bathrobe,” thicker and designed to absorb water after bathing. They’re related but not identical.