Zouden we vanavond eerder kunnen eten, zodat we op tijd zijn voor de film?

Could we eat earlier tonight so that we are on time for the movie?

Breakdown of Zouden we vanavond eerder kunnen eten, zodat we op tijd zijn voor de film?

• zijn: to be
• eten: to eat
• wij: we
• voor: for
• zodat: so that
• kunnen: can
• de tijd: the time
• de film: the film
• zouden: would
• eerder: earlier
• op: on
• vanavond: tonight

Questions & Answers about Zouden we vanavond eerder kunnen eten, zodat we op tijd zijn voor de film?

What does Zouden we mean and why is zouden used instead of just kunnen we?

Zouden is the past-tense/conditional form of zullen, used here to make a polite request or suggestion in the conditional mood. Literally, Zouden we kunnen eten? translates as “Would we be able to eat?” In English we often say “Could we eat…?” or “Would it be possible for us to eat…?” Using zouden + infinitive (kunnen) softens the question and makes it more polite than simply asking Kunnen we vanavond eerder eten?

Why do we need both zouden and kunnen in Zouden we... kunnen eten?

This is a double-modal construction:

• Zouden expresses the conditional (“would” or “could”).
• Kunnen expresses ability or possibility (“be able to”).
  Together they form a polite request about possibility: “Would we be able to…?”
  Dutch often combines a conditional auxiliary with another modal to soften requests.

What is the difference between eerder and vroeger, since both can mean “earlier”?

• Eerder refers to something happening sooner than a specified time or than usual:
  • Zouden we vanavond eerder kunnen eten? – “sooner this evening.”
• Vroeger refers to “in the past” or “previously”:
  • Vroeger aten we om zes uur. – “In the past we used to eat at six.”
  Use eerder for “earlier (than planned or usual),” and vroeger for “formerly/in the past.”

What role does zodat play, and why does the verb move to the end of that clause?

• Zodat is a subordinating conjunction meaning “so that.”
• In Dutch subordinate clauses introduced by words like zodat, the finite verb goes to the very end.
  Structure: zodat
  • subject + (objects) + non-finite verbs.
    Here: zodat we op tijd zijn voor de film
    → zijn (the verb) appears at the end of the subordinate clause.

What exactly does op tijd zijn mean, and how is it different from op tijd komen?

• Op tijd zijn literally means “to be on time.” It focuses on the state of being punctual.
• Op tijd komen means “to arrive on time.” It emphasizes the action of arriving punctually.
  In context, zodat we op tijd zijn voor de film conveys “so that we are there on time for the movie,” i.e. we won’t be late.

Why is vanavond placed before eerder kunnen eten, and could I say it elsewhere in the sentence?

• Vanavond (meaning “this evening”) is a time adverbial. Dutch word order in main clauses often follows:
  
  1. Time
  2. Manner
  3. Place
• So you correctly say: Zouden we vanavond eerder kunnen eten…?
  You could move vanavond to the end for emphasis or style:
  Zouden we eerder kunnen eten vanavond…?
  But standard placement is at the very beginning or right before the verb phrase.

Can you break down the entire sentence word by word?

Sure.

1. Zouden – conditional of zullen (“would”)
2. we – “we” (subject)
3. vanavond – “this evening” (time)
4. eerder – “earlier” (adverb)
5. kunnen – “be able to” (modal)
6. eten – “eat” (main verb)
7. , – comma separates clauses
8. zodat – “so that” (subordinating conjunction)
9. we – “we” (subject of subordinate clause)
10. op tijd – “on time” (time expression)
11. zijn – “are/be” (verb at end)
12. voor – “for” (preposition)
13. de film – “the movie” (object of preposition)