Learn Hardcore Dutch: Sluit de gordel zodat je veilig bent tijdens het rijden. - Fasten your seatbelt so that you are safe while driving.

Sluit is the imperative form of sluiten (“to close/fasten”). In this context it means “fasten” or “buckle.” It’s common to use sluiten for seatbelts, doors, zippers, etc. You could say Doe de gordel om (“put the belt on”), but sluit emphasizes the action of locking it in place.

Why is the noun gordel preceded by de and not het?

In Dutch, every noun has gender: de for common gender (masculine/feminine) and het for neuter. Gordel is a common‐gender noun, so it takes de. You learn the article with each noun in Dutch.

What role does zodat play, and how is it different from om te or opdat?

Zodat is a conjunction that introduces a clause expressing the result or consequence of the main clause (“so that”).

om te
- infinitive expresses pure purpose (“in order to…”).
opdat is more formal/literary for “so that.”
With zodat, you use subject + verb at the end of that clause: zodat je veilig bent.

Why is the verb bent placed at the end of zodat je veilig bent?

Because zodat is a subordinate conjunction, it triggers the Dutch SOV order in that clause: subject (je) comes first, then any objects/adverbs, and the finite verb (bent) at the end. This is standard for clauses introduced by dat, omdat, zodat, terwijl, etc.

Why is the informal pronoun je used here instead of jij or the formal u?

Je is the unstressed informal “you.” It's very common in instructions or warnings. Use jij only for emphasis or in spoken language when stressing the subject. U would be for a polite or formal context (e.g., official safety instructions).

What part of speech is tijdens, and why is it followed by het rijden?

Tijdens is a preposition meaning “during.” It must be followed by a noun phrase. Here het rijden (literally “the driving”) is a nominalized infinitive acting as that noun. Together tijdens het rijden means “while driving.”

Can I say terwijl je rijdt instead of tijdens het rijden, and is there any difference?

Yes. Terwijl je rijdt (“while you drive/are driving”) is a subordinate clause with the conjunction terwijl. Its nuance is almost the same, but grammatically it’s a clause, not a prepositional phrase. Word order remains SOV: terwijl je rijdt, verb at the end.

Could I simplify the sentence by dropping tijdens het rijden or moving it elsewhere?

You can drop tijdens het rijden if context makes “driving” clear:
“Sluit de gordel zodat je veilig bent.”
Or place it at the start:
“Tijdens het rijden sluit je de gordel zodat je veilig bent.”
Both are grammatically correct; the emphasis just shifts slightly.