Learn Hardcore Dutch: Tom wil de contracten vandaag nog afdrukken en ondertekenen. - Tom wants to print the contracts today and sign them.

In Dutch the present tense of willen (to want) is irregular. Both ik and hij/zij/het take wil, while jij (and formal u) use wilt (though in casual speech jij sometimes drops the t). Since Tom corresponds to hij, the correct form is Tom wil, not wilt.

What does nog mean in vandaag nog, and why is it used here?

Here nog means “still” or “by the end of.” Combined with vandaag, vandaag nog expresses that Tom wants to finish printing and signing before today is over. It adds a sense of urgency or a deadline.

Why are the verbs afdrukken and ondertekenen placed at the end of the sentence?

Dutch main clauses follow the V2 rule: the finite verb (wil) occupies the second position, and any non-finite verbs (infinitives) are pushed to the end. Since afdrukken and ondertekenen are both infinitives governed by wil, they form a verb cluster at the very end (with en linking them).

Why isn't there a te before ondertekenen?

Modal verbs like willen, kunnen, moeten, etc., are followed by a bare infinitive—no te is used. You only add te when there's no modal: e.g. Ik probeer te ondertekenen vs. Ik wil ondertekenen.

Why is afdrukken one word here, even though it’s a separable verb?

In their infinitive form, separable verbs are always written as a single word (afdrukken = af- + drukken). The prefix only splits off when you conjugate the verb in a main clause without a modal: e.g. Hij drukt de pagina af.

Could you say Tom wil vandaag nog de contracten afdrukken en ondertekenen instead? How flexible is the word order?

Yes. Direct objects typically come before time adverbials in Dutch, but you can front vandaag nog to emphasize the time. Both
• Tom wil de contracten vandaag nog afdrukken…
and
• Tom wil vandaag nog de contracten afdrukken…
are correct. The nuance shifts slightly (focus on the object vs. focus on the timing), but the core meaning stays the same.

What’s the difference between afdrukken and uitprinten?

Both verbs mean “to print out.” afdrukken is the standard Dutch term and is a true Dutch compound verb. uitprinten is a loan from English to print, more informal and common in everyday speech. In formal or technical contexts you’ll often see afdrukken, but uitprinten is perfectly fine in casual conversation.

What’s the difference between tekenen and ondertekenen?

tekenen by itself usually means “to draw”; in certain contexts it can also mean “to sign,” but that’s ambiguous. ondertekenen specifically means “to sign (a document),” with the prefix onder- emphasizing the act of writing your signature at the bottom. In legal or business settings you almost always use ondertekenen for signing contracts.

Why do we use wil (from willen) instead of zal to express the future?

In Dutch, willen means “to want,” whereas English will can express both desire and future. Dutch uses zullen (zal/zullen) to form the simple future. Tom wil… tells us his desire or intention. If you said Tom zal de contracten morgen afdrukken, it simply states that he will do it tomorrow—no intention or desire implied.

What happens if you remove nog? How does that change the sentence?

Without nog, you get Tom wil de contracten vandaag afdrukken en ondertekenen—Tom wants to print and sign the contracts today. It still means “today,” but you lose the extra sense of urgency or the idea that it must happen by the end of today.