Breakdown of Zet de tv uit voordat je gaat slapen.
gaan
to go
je
you
voordat
before
slapen
to sleep
uitzetten
to turn off
de tv
the TV
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Questions & Answers about Zet de tv uit voordat je gaat slapen.
What kind of verb is uitzetten, and why is it split in this sentence?
Uitzetten is a separable verb in Dutch. In main‐clause word order you place the verb stem first (zet), then the object (de tv), and finally the particle (uit). So Zet de tv uit literally splits uitzetten into its parts.
Why is uit at the very end instead of right after zet?
With separable verbs the particle (here uit) always moves to the end of the clause, after any objects or adverbials. That’s why you say Zet de tv uit, not Zet uit de tv.
Why is the article de used before tv and never het tv?
Tv is short for televisie, which is a common “de-woord” in Dutch. Abbreviations inherit the gender of the full word. Hence it’s always de tv (or you could say de televisie in full).
Why is the subordinate clause voordat je gaat slapen placed at the end of the sentence?
Dutch allows you to put subordinate clauses (introduced by a conjunction like voordat) either before or after the main clause. Here it’s placed after for clarity and natural flow. You could also say, “Voordat je gaat slapen, zet de tv uit,” but then the comma is required.
In voordat je gaat slapen, why does gaat come before slapen, and why isn’t there a te before slapen?
Gaan in this context is a full verb meaning “go to” (sleep). It takes a bare infinitive without te. In subordinate clauses introduced by voordat, the finite verb normally moves toward the end, but because gaan slapen is treated as a unit, you see gaat slapen together.
Why isn’t there a comma before voordat in the original sentence?
In Dutch punctuation, commas before subordinate conjunctions like voordat are optional when the subordinate clause follows the main clause. Many writers simply omit it for brevity. If you front the subordinate clause, you do need the comma.
What kind of pronoun is je, and why is it omitted in the command part of the sentence?
Je is the informal second-person singular pronoun (“you”). In Dutch imperatives you omit the subject pronoun entirely, so you say Zet de tv uit rather than Jij zet de tv uit. In the subordinate clause, however, you must supply the subject: voordat je gaat slapen.
Could I say Doe de tv uit instead of Zet de tv uit? Are there any differences?
Yes. Uitdoen is another separable verb meaning “to turn off.” The structure is identical: Doe de tv uit. Stylistically, doen + uit is more colloquial, while uitzetten is slightly more neutral or “technical.”
How would I make this instruction more formal or polite in Dutch?
Replace je with the formal pronoun u and consider a polite phrasing:
- “Zet de tv uit voordat u gaat slapen.”
- Or even more courteous: “Wilt u de tv uitzetten voordat u gaat slapen?”