Breakdown of Ik heb vandaag nauwelijks tijd, maar ik bel je straks.
ik
I
hebben
to have
maar
but
vandaag
today
je
you
de tijd
the time
bellen
to call
straks
later
nauwelijks
hardly
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Questions & Answers about Ik heb vandaag nauwelijks tijd, maar ik bel je straks.
Why is the verb in the present tense in ik bel je straks if it refers to the future?
Dutch often uses the present tense for near-future plans or promises. Ik bel je straks is the most idiomatic choice. You can also use zal to highlight intention: Ik zal je straks bellen. For an offer/suggestion, use Zal ik je straks bellen?
What exactly does straks mean? Is it the same as later?
- straks: later today, relatively soon.
- zometeen/zo meteen: in a moment/very soon (often sooner than straks).
- zo: in a minute/right away-ish (colloquial).
- dadelijk: soon/any minute (common in Belgium and the south of the Netherlands).
- later: later, unspecified; could be the same day or another day.
- binnenkort: soon in the sense of days/weeks.
So Ik bel je straks promises a call later the same day; Ik bel je later is vaguer.
Can I say Ik heb nauwelijks tijd vandaag or Vandaag heb ik nauwelijks tijd?
Yes.
- Ik heb vandaag nauwelijks tijd: neutral and very common.
- Vandaag heb ik nauwelijks tijd: emphasizes “today.”
- Ik heb nauwelijks tijd vandaag: fine in speech, puts the time adverb at the end for emphasis.
Dutch often prefers Time–Manner–Place ordering for adverbs, but word order is flexible to express focus.
Why is it je (ik bel je) and not jou?
- je is the unstressed object (and subject) form: default in Ik bel je.
- jou is the stressed object form for contrast/emphasis: Ik bel jou straks (niet hem).
- Stressed subject is jij: Jij belt me straks.
How do I make it plural or formal?
- Plural informal: Ik bel jullie straks.
- Formal singular (and plural): Ik bel u straks.
Where should straks go? Can I say Straks bel ik je?
- Neutral: Ik bel je straks.
- Fronting for emphasis: Straks bel ik je.
- Avoid Ik bel straks je with an unstressed pronoun; pronoun objects normally come before time adverbs.
Is the comma before maar required?
No. A comma before maar (a coordinating conjunction) is optional. Many writers include it when linking two full clauses for readability:
- Ik heb vandaag nauwelijks tijd, maar ik bel je straks. Without the comma is also acceptable.
Can I start a sentence with Maar?
Yes. In speech and informal writing, Maar can start a sentence to introduce contrast: Maar ik bel je straks. In formal prose, it’s more common to keep maar inside the sentence, but sentence-initial Maar isn’t incorrect.
Do I need a preposition after bellen? Why not bellen naar?
In the Netherlands, iemand bellen (transitive) is standard: Ik bel je. Bellen naar is also used (especially with organizations or in Belgian Dutch), e.g. bellen naar het ziekenhuis, but het ziekenhuis bellen is equally good and more common in the Netherlands. With a personal pronoun, stick to iemand bellen: Ik bel je.
What about opbellen? Is Ik bel je straks op correct?
Yes. Both bellen and opbellen work with people.
- Ik bel je straks: very common.
- Ik bel je straks op: also correct (with separable op at the end). Avoid Ik bel je op straks; keep op right at the end of the clause.
Could I add wel to sound reassuring?
Yes. Wel adds reassurance or a corrective tone: Ik heb vandaag nauwelijks tijd, maar ik bel je straks wel. Roughly: “I will call you later, I promise.”
How do I turn the second clause into a question?
- Yes/no question by inversion: Bel ik je straks?
- Offer/suggestion: Zal ik je straks bellen?
- Tag-question style (colloquial): Ik bel je straks, goed? or oké?