Learn Hardcore Dutch: De stofdoek ligt steeds klaar, omdat de kamer snel stoffig wordt. - The duster is always ready because the room gets dusty quickly.

stofdoek literally combines stof (dust) + doek (cloth), so it means “duster” or “dusting cloth.”
Because Dutch compounds take the gender of their head noun (the last part, here doek), and doek is a de-word, you say de stofdoek.

Why is it ligt klaar instead of is klaar or klaar ligt?

Dutch often uses liggen to indicate that something is physically laid out or available.
• De stofdoek ligt klaar = “the cloth is lying ready/laid out.”
You could say is klaar (“is ready”), but ligt klaar adds the nuance that it’s set out in its place, waiting to be used.
Putting klaar before ligt (as in klaar ligt) would sound odd because the verb generally follows its adverb or adjective complement.

What does steeds mean here? Could I use altijd instead?

• steeds = “constantly,” “always,” or “increasingly.” It emphasizes that the cloth is kept ready again and again because the room gets dusty fast.
• altijd also means “always,” but it’s more neutral; steeds often implies repetition or a continuous process.
So De stofdoek ligt steeds klaar suggests an ongoing habit in response to the room’s behavior.

Why does the verb wordt go to the end of the clause after omdat?

In Dutch, subordinating conjunctions (like omdat) trigger verb-final word order. The structure is:

omdat
subject (de kamer)
other elements (snel stoffig)
verb (wordt)

That’s why it’s omdat de kamer snel stoffig wordt rather than omdat de kamer wordt snel stoffig.

Is wordt here a passive form or does it mean “becomes”?

Here wordt comes from worden meaning “to become,” not the passive auxiliary. Combined with the adjective stoffig, it means “becomes dusty.”
A true passive would pair worden with a past participle, e.g. De kamer wordt schoongemaakt (“The room is being cleaned”).

Why is there a comma before omdat? Must I always use one?

A comma before subordinating conjunctions like omdat is not strictly mandatory in Dutch, but it’s recommended for clarity—especially in longer sentences. It visually separates the main clause from the subordinate clause.

Why is it snel stoffig and not stoffig snel?

In a clause like this, snel (an adverb) qualifies worden, and stoffig (an adjective) describes de kamer after the verb. The typical order is:
adverb → adjective → verb.
So snel stoffig wordt = “becomes dusty quickly.” Putting them in the reverse order would break the normal Dutch rhythm.

Can I rephrase it using the separable verb klaarleggen?

Yes. If you want to emphasize the action of someone placing the cloth, you can say:
De stofdoek wordt steeds klaargelegd, omdat de kamer snel stoffig wordt.
Here klaarleggen (to lay out) appears in its passive form (wordt klaargelegd), meaning “is laid out.”