Learn Hardcore Dutch: Hij slikt de pil met water en rust even. - He swallows the pill with water and rests for a moment.

Dutch main clauses are verb-second (V2): the finite verb comes in the second slot. So Hij (slot 1) slikt (slot 2) …
After the coordinator en, you can omit the repeated subject. The second predicate starts with the verb: en (hij) rust even. If you include the subject, it’s en hij rust even—still V2 in its own clause.

Is rust here a verb or a noun?

A verb. You can tell because it takes the adverb even (briefly) and matches the subject (hij). The noun is de rust. Compare:

Verb: Hij rust even.
Noun: Hij neemt even rust or Hij heeft rust nodig.

Why isn’t it spelled rustt in the 3rd person singular?

In the present tense, 3rd person singular is stem + t. The stem of rusten is rust, which already ends in t, so you don’t add another one. Hence: hij rust (not rustt). Same pattern: hij zet (not zett).

Why is it slikt and not something with -dt (like wordt)?

The -dt ending happens when the stem ends in d (e.g., stem word + t → wordt). Here the stem is slik (ends in k), so 3rd person singular is just slikt.

Could I say hij neemt de pil instead of hij slikt de pil? What about inneemt or doorslikt?

een pil slikken = swallow a pill (focus on the swallowing action).
een pil innemen (separable: hij neemt de pil in) = take a pill (neutral, common in instructions).
doorslikken (separable: hij slikt de pil door) = actually swallow it down (emphasizes getting it down). All are idiomatic; choose based on emphasis and register.

Is met the right preposition in met water? Are there alternatives?

Yes, met is standard for taking medicine with something. Alternatives:

met een slok water
met wat water
met behulp van water (more formal) Not: door water in this sense.

Why de pil and not een pil? And does de pil mean the contraceptive pill?

de pil = a specific pill known from context. een pil = any pill, new information.
In general language, de pil (without extra context) often refers to the contraceptive pill. Here, it’s clear from context it’s just “the pill he has,” but if you want to avoid that association, say een pil or een tablet.

Can I drop the article like in English “take pill”?

No. Dutch normally requires a determiner with count nouns: een pil or de pil. Bare count nouns are not used like in English.

What does even mean here, and where does it go in the sentence?

Meaning: briefly/for a moment, and it often softens the tone (especially in imperatives).
Placement: typically right after the finite verb in main clauses: Hij rust even. With negation: Hij rust even niet (“he won’t rest for a moment/right now”). In infinitive clusters it sits near the verb: Hij gaat even rusten.

What’s the difference between even, eventjes, eens, and colloquial effe?

even = neutral, very common.
eventjes = a touch more informal/affectionate; slightly longer version of even.
eens = “once/sometime,” also a softener in imperatives (Vlaams/Dutch); not necessarily “briefly.”
effe = very informal spoken Dutch for even.

Could I say en rust even uit? How is uitrusten different from rusten?

Yes: uitrusten = rest up/recover (emphasis on regaining energy). rusten = rest (neutral). So:

Hij rust even. (He takes a short rest.)
Hij rust even uit. (He briefly recuperates.)

Is a comma needed before en?

Usually no. Dutch does not normally place a comma before en in a simple coordination like this. Use a comma only if the clauses are long/complex and you want to aid readability.

Can I move met water elsewhere? For example, before the object?

Default order is object before short prepositional phrases: … slikt de pil met water. You can front met water for emphasis:

Met water slikt hij de pil. Placing it between verb and object (… slikt met water de pil) is possible but sounds marked and is rarely preferred.

Are there two full clauses here?

Logically, yes: (1) Hij slikt de pil met water and (2) hij rust even. Dutch often drops the repeated subject in the second clause after a coordinator, giving … en rust even. You may also write the full … en hij rust even.

How would I put this in the past or perfect tense?

Simple past: Hij slikte de pil met water en rustte even.
Perfect: Hij heeft de pil met water geslikt en even gerust. With separable verbs: Hij heeft de pil doorgeslikt; Hij heeft even uitgerust.

Is slikken always transitive?

Often, yes, with a direct object (food, pill, insult). It can also be intransitive when the object is understood:

Transitive: Hij slikt de pil.
Intransitive: Hij slikte en slikte, maar het hielp niet. Figurative use exists too: Dat slik ik niet (“I won’t put up with that”).