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Questions & Answers about Als de tram weer rijdt, gaan wij erheen om de afstand te meten.
What does Als mean here?
Als is a subordinating conjunction meaning when or if. In this sentence it functions as when the tram starts running again.
Why is the verb rijdt placed at the end of the subordinate clause?
In Dutch subordinate clauses (introduced by words like Als), the conjugated verb moves to the final position. Hence Als de tram weer rijdt ends with rijdt.
Why does gaan come before wij in the main clause?
When a subordinate clause leads off the sentence, the following main clause uses inverted word order: verb first, then subject. So after Als…rijdt, you get gaan wij instead of wij gaan.
Why must we include wij in the main clause? Isn’t the subject already clear?
Each Dutch clause needs its own explicit subject. Even though it’s the same people, you have to repeat the subject in the main clause: gaan wij erheen.
What does erheen mean, and why not use daarheen?
Erheen is a directional adverb meaning to there (to that place). It’s formed with er (placeholder) + heen (direction). You could say daarheen (also “to there”), but erheen is more idiomatic when the location is understood.
What role does weer play in de tram weer rijdt?
Weer means again. It’s an adverb placed directly before the verb in a subordinate clause, giving rijdt the sense “runs again.”
How does the om ... te structure work in om de afstand te meten?
Om + [object] + te + infinitive expresses purpose (“in order to…”). Here om de afstand te meten means in order to measure the distance, with meten at the very end.
Why is the present tense used for what seems like a future event?
Dutch commonly uses the present tense in time clauses for events that are certain or scheduled. So Als de tram weer rijdt can refer to the future “when the tram runs again.”
Can we use zodra instead of als?
Yes. Zodra means as soon as (immediately when), whereas als is more general (when or if). If you want to stress immediate action, say Zodra de tram weer rijdt, gaan wij erheen ….
Is the comma after rijdt necessary?
Yes. In Dutch you separate an initial subordinate clause from the main clause with a comma:
Als de tram weer rijdt, gaan wij erheen om de afstand te meten.