Learn Hardcore Dutch: Wellicht is het mogelijk om eerder te vertrekken, hè? - Perhaps it is possible to leave earlier, right?

Dutch main clauses use verb-second (V2) word order. Whatever comes first (here: Wellicht) occupies position 1, so the finite verb (is) must come next, and the subject (het) follows: Wellicht is het …. If you start with the subject instead, you get the equally correct Het is wellicht mogelijk ….

Can I also say Het is wellicht mogelijk om …? Is there any difference?

Yes. Both Wellicht is het mogelijk … and Het is wellicht mogelijk … are correct. Fronting Wellicht gives slightly more emphasis to the uncertainty; the version with Het feels more neutral and is more common in everyday speech.

What nuance does wellicht have compared with misschien and eventueel?

wellicht = perhaps. More formal/literary and a bit posh; common in writing and polite requests.
misschien = maybe. The default, neutral choice in everyday speech.
eventueel = possibly, if needed/as an option. Not the same as English “eventually.” Use it to offer a potential option: Zou het eventueel mogelijk zijn ….

What exactly is hè? and how is it different from hé or huh?

hè? (with grave accent) is a sentence-final tag that checks for agreement or softens a statement, roughly “right?” or “eh?”. Pronounced like English “heh?” with rising intonation.
hé (with acute accent) is “hey” to attract attention or show mild surprise: Hé, kijk eens!
huh? expresses not understanding; you’ll see huh? or hè? used that way in informal writing, but as a tag for agreement, use hè?.

Do I need the comma before hè??

Yes, when hè? is a tag at the end, it’s standard to separate it with a comma: …, hè? You’ll often see this in careful writing. In very informal texts, people sometimes skip it, but the comma is recommended.

Is the whole sentence polite and natural?

It’s acceptable in informal contexts, but it mixes a formal adverb (wellicht) with a colloquial tag (hè?). For polite or formal requests, prefer:

Zou het (wellicht/misschien) mogelijk zijn om wat eerder te vertrekken?
Zou ik misschien wat eerder mogen vertrekken? Dropping the tag keeps it neutral: Wellicht is het mogelijk om eerder te vertrekken.

What does het refer to here? Can I omit it?

It’s a dummy subject (like English “it” in “It is possible…”). It doesn’t refer to anything specific, but Dutch still needs a subject in this structure. You can’t omit it in standard prose: not Is mogelijk om …, but Het is mogelijk om ….

Why om te vertrekken? Can I say mogelijk te vertrekken without om?

After many adjectives (like mogelijk, moeilijk, handig), Dutch typically uses om te + infinitive to introduce the complement: Het is mogelijk om te vertrekken. In more formal or concise styles, you may see Het is mogelijk te vertrekken (without om); it’s correct but feels stiff in everyday speech. Don’t drop te.

Where does eerder go in an om te phrase? Is om te eerder vertrekken possible?

Place adverbs like eerder before te + infinitive: om eerder te vertrekken. You cannot say om te eerder vertrekken; te must come directly before the verb: te vertrekken.

What’s the difference between eerder and vroeger?

eerder = earlier (than planned/than usual/than someone else): kunnen we eerder vertrekken?
vroeger = in the past/earlier in life or historically: Vroeger vertrok ik altijd om zes uur. For scheduling today’s departure, use eerder, not vroeger.

Is vertrekken the right verb, or should I use weggaan?

Both can work, but:

vertrekken = depart (often scheduled/formal or for transport), also fine for people in formal contexts: We willen eerder vertrekken.
weggaan = go away/leave (more casual, not used for trains/planes): Ik ga wat eerder weg. Your sentence with vertrekken sounds appropriately formal/polite.

Are there alternatives to the tag hè? with different nuances?

Yes:

toch? = “right?” with a stronger expectation of agreement: … vertrekken, toch?
of niet? = “or not?” neutral-casual: … vertrekken, of niet?
nietwaar? = “isn’t that so?” formal/old-fashioned. All of these are more standard than mixing wellicht with hè? in formal requests.

How does intonation work here?

Main clause: normal declarative intonation with the main stress on mogelijk or eerder depending on what you’re highlighting.
Tag hè?: use a rising pitch to signal a confirmation check. Pronounce wellicht with stress on the second syllable: wel-LICHT.

Could I just replace wellicht with misschien or drop it?

Yes:

Misschien is het mogelijk om eerder te vertrekken, hè? (more everyday)
Is het mogelijk om eerder te vertrekken, hè? (still informal due to hè?) For neutral/polite without the tag: Het is (misschien) mogelijk om eerder te vertrekken.