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Breakdown of De technicus controleert het stoplicht, zodat het verkeer weer soepel stroomt.
weer
again
zodat
so that
controleren
to check
het verkeer
the traffic
het stoplicht
the traffic light
soepel
smooth
de technicus
the technician
stromen
to flow
Questions & Answers about De technicus controleert het stoplicht, zodat het verkeer weer soepel stroomt.
What does technicus mean?
technicus translates to “technician.” It’s a neuter noun used for someone who inspects, repairs or maintains technical equipment.
Why does controleert end with –t?
The infinitive is controleren. To make the third-person singular present tense, you drop –en (giving the stem controleer ) and add –t, so you get controleert (“he/she checks”).
Why do we use het before stoplicht and verkeer?
Both stoplicht (“traffic light”) and verkeer (“traffic”) are neuter nouns in Dutch, so the singular definite article is het in each case.
What role does zodat play, and how is it different from omdat?
zodat introduces a subordinate clause of result or purpose, equivalent to “so that.” It explains the intended outcome of the action. omdat means “because” and introduces a clause of reason, explaining why something happens rather than what the result is.
Why is there a comma before zodat, and why is stroomt at the end of its clause?
In Dutch, a main clause is separated from a following subordinate clause with a comma. In subordinate clauses (introduced by zodat here), the finite verb moves to the very end—hence soepel stroomt becomes …zodat het verkeer weer soepel stroomt.
What does weer add to the meaning?
weer means “again.” It tells us the traffic flow has been restored to its previous, smooth state.
Is soepe an adjective or adverb?
It’s the adjective soepel (“smooth”) used adverbially. In Dutch, many adjectives double as adverbs without changing form, so soepel here means “smoothly.”
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