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Questions & Answers about Als ik moe ben, denk ik eraan om even rust te nemen op de bank.
What does Als ik moe ben mean, and how is als used here?
Als is a conjunction meaning when or if. In this sentence Als ik moe ben translates to “When I’m tired”. It introduces a subordinate clause (condition or time frame) followed by a comma before the main clause.
Why is there a comma after ben?
In Dutch, a comma separates a subordinate clause from the main clause. Here, Als ik moe ben is the subordinate clause, so you place a comma before the main clause denk ik eraan….
What does eraan denken om + infinitive mean?
eraan denken om means “to remember to” or “think of doing something.” You can break it down as:
- denken aan = “think about”
- eraan denken om + te-infinitive = “remember to [do something]”
Why do we write eraan as one word instead of er aan?
When the pronoun er is directly followed by a preposition (here aan), Dutch glue them into one word: eraan. You only separate them when they don’t form part of a fixed verb-preposition combination.
Why is there an om before even rust te nemen, and why does te come before nemen?
- om ... te introduces an infinitive clause: om even rust te nemen = “to take a short rest.”
- om signals “in order to,” and te always precedes the main verb of that clause (here nemen).
What does even add to the meaning?
even softens or shortens the action. It means “just for a bit” or “briefly.” So even rust nemen is “take a quick rest.”
What’s the difference between rust nemen and uitrusten?
- rust nemen = “take a break” (often implies pausing any activity)
- uitrusten = “to rest” or “to recuperate” (focuses on the process of relaxing or recovering energy)
They’re close in meaning, but rust nemen emphasizes the action of stopping, while uitrusten highlights the state of being rested.
Why do we say op de bank instead of in de bank?
In Dutch you sit on a couch, so it’s op de bank (literally “on the bench/sofa”). In de bank would imply you’re inside the couch, which doesn’t make sense.
Could I replace rust with pauze here?
Yes, you can say om even een pauze te nemen (“to take a short break”). However, rust is more about resting, whereas pauze often implies a formal or scheduled break (e.g., at work or in a meeting).
How do you invert word order after als in the subordinate clause?
Dutch subordinate clauses use subject–verb order reversed compared to main clauses? Actually, in subordinate clauses introduced by als, the conjugated verb goes to the end of that clause:
- Als ik moe ben (subject ik, verb ben at the end).
In the main clause you return to verb–subject order: denk ik eraan.