Learn Hardcore Dutch: Het blad ligt op de tafel ondanks de wind. - The leaf lies on the table despite the wind.

Dutch nouns belong to one of two gender–article combinations: de for common‐gender nouns and het for neuter nouns. Unfortunately, you often have to memorize which is which. In this case, blad is a neuter noun, so it takes het. Always learn new vocabulary together with its article (e.g. het blad, de tafel, de wind).

Why is the verb ligt used here? Could I use staat or zit instead?

Dutch has several “position” verbs that describe how something is placed or positioned:

liggen (“to lie”) for flat, horizontal objects
staan (“to stand”) for upright objects
zitten (“to sit”) for objects that are inserted or contained
Since a sheet of paper lies flat on a surface, we use liggen in the present tense: ligt. Using staat or zit here would sound odd because the paper isn’t standing or inserted.

Why is it op de tafel and can I just say op tafel?

Both are possible, but they convey slightly different nuances:

op de tafel uses the definite article (de tafel), specifying a particular table.
op tafel omits the article and is more general or idiomatic, often used in everyday speech (e.g. Leg het boek op tafel).
In our sentence, op de tafel stresses that this sheet lies on that specific table.

How do I use ondanks, and what does it mean?

ondanks is a preposition meaning despite or in spite of. It always precedes a noun phrase, without any extra preposition or conjunction.
Structure: ondanks + definite/indefinite article + noun
Example from your sentence: ondanks de wind = despite the wind.

What’s the difference between ondanks and conjunctions like hoewel or terwijl?

They all introduce concession or contrast, but function differently:

ondanks is a preposition followed by a noun (ondanks de wind).
hoewel (“although”) is a subordinating conjunction introducing a full clause (hoewel het waait).
terwijl (“while/whereas”) indicates simultaneity or contrast in time, also introducing a clause (terwijl de wind waait).
Use ondanks when you want despite + noun. Use hoewel or terwijl when you want although/while + clause.

Why is ondanks de wind placed at the end of the sentence? Can I move it elsewhere?

Dutch word order generally requires the finite verb in second position. After that, adverbial phrases (like ondanks de wind) are quite flexible. You could also say:

Ondanks de wind ligt het blad op de tafel.
Het blad ligt ondanks de wind op de tafel.
Each version is correct; you’re simply moving the concessive phrase to give it a bit more or less emphasis.

What is the grammatical function of ondanks de wind?

It’s an adverbial prepositional phrase expressing concession—it tells us under which adverse condition the action still holds true. In English, this corresponds to “despite the wind.”

How do you pronounce ondanks, and where is the stress?

ondanks is pronounced [ɔnˈdɑŋks]. The stress falls on the second syllable: on-DANKS. Make sure to soften the initial o (like the “o” in on), and the a in the stressed syllable sounds like the “a” in father.