Learn Hardcore Dutch: Ik ben blij, alsof het weer ineens vriendelijker is geworden. - I am happy, as if the weather has suddenly become friendlier.

Bold Alsof bold means bold as if bold and introduces a subordinate clause. In such a clause, the verbs move to the end as a cluster. That’s why you get bold … vriendelijker is geworden bold at the end. Dutch allows both orders in a two‑verb cluster here: bold is geworden bold and bold geworden is bold are both acceptable.

Is the comma before bold alsof bold required?

It’s customary and recommended, because bold alsof bold introduces a new subordinate clause. In Dutch, a comma before many subordinators (bold omdat, hoewel, terwijl, alsof bold) is common, especially when the clause is longer. You may occasionally see it omitted in short sentences, but keeping it helps readability and matches typical written style.

Why bold is geworden bold and not bold heeft geworden bold or just bold werd bold?

The perfect of bold worden bold uses bold zijn bold as its auxiliary: bold is geworden bold = has become. Bold Heeft geworden bold is ungrammatical. You could use the simple past bold werd bold (became), but bold is geworden bold emphasizes a change that has (just) happened and is relevant to the present.

Could I say bold geworden is bold instead of bold is geworden bold?

Yes. With two verbs at the end of a subordinate clause, both orders are standard: bold … is geworden bold and bold … geworden is bold. Many speakers find bold … geworden is bold a touch more formal or written; bold … is geworden bold often sounds a bit more conversational. There’s also regional preference, but you won’t go wrong with either.

Does bold het weer bold mean bold the weather bold, or can it mean bold again bold?

Here it clearly means bold the weather bold because of the article bold het bold + noun bold weer bold. If you wanted bold again bold, you would say bold het is weer … bold (no article before bold weer bold, because then it’s an adverb). So bold het weer is … bold = the weather is …; bold het is weer … bold = it is again …

Is bold vriendelijker bold a natural way to talk about weather?

Yes. Dutch often anthropomorphizes weather: bold vriendelijk weer bold means mild, pleasant weather. Alternatives include bold milder, zachter, aangenamer bold. For weather, bold aardig bold can also mean fairly pleasant: bold het is aardig weer bold.

How is the comparative formed in bold vriendelijker bold? Why not bold meer vriendelijk bold?

Dutch typically adds bold -er bold to form the comparative: bold vriendelijk → vriendelijker bold. Bold Meer vriendelijk bold is usually unidiomatic here. Use bold meer bold with some longer or non‑gradable adjectives/adverbs, but with normal adjectives like bold vriendelijk bold, prefer the suffix.

Where does bold ineens bold go, and are there synonyms?

Bold Ineens bold (suddenly) usually sits before the verb cluster and after the subject in a subordinate clause: bold … het weer ineens vriendelijker is geworden bold. In a main clause you often place it after the finite verb or after the subject: bold Het weer is ineens … / Ineens is het weer … bold. Common synonyms: bold opeens, plotseling, plots bold.

Could I use bold omdat bold instead of bold alsof bold?

You can, but it changes the meaning. Bold Omdat bold states a real cause: bold I’m happy because the weather actually became friendlier bold. Bold Alsof bold expresses appearance or a subjective feeling: bold I’m happy, as if the weather had suddenly become friendlier bold—without claiming it truly did.

Can I drop bold geworden bold and say bold … alsof het weer ineens vriendelijker is bold?

That sounds off, because bold ineens bold implies a change, and bold is bold alone describes a state. If you drop bold geworden bold, you’d usually also drop bold ineens bold: bold … alsof het weer vriendelijker is bold. To keep the change idea, use bold is geworden bold, or rephrase: bold … alsof het weer ineens vriendelijker lijkt bold.

Is there a difference between bold Ik ben blij bold, bold Ik voel me blij bold, and bold Ik ben gelukkig bold?

Bold Ik ben blij bold: I’m happy (often about something specific or in this moment).
Bold Ik voel me blij bold: I feel happy (emphasis on your felt state).
Bold Ik ben gelukkig bold: can mean I am happy in life (more lasting) but bold gelukkig bold also means bold fortunately bold as a sentence adverb. Don’t overuse bold gelukkig bold for simple short‑term happiness.

Is bold alsof bold one word or two? How do you pronounce it?

It’s one word: bold alsof bold (not bold als of bold). Pronunciation: roughly al‑SOF, with stress on the second syllable. Related forms you’ll hear: bold net alsof bold (just as if).

Can I start with the bold alsof bold‑clause?

Yes: bold Alsof het weer ineens vriendelijker is geworden, ben ik blij bold. That sounds a bit more literary or formal but is correct. The main‑clause verb still keeps second position: bold … ben ik blij bold.

Why bold het weer bold and not bold de weer bold?

Bold Weer bold is a neuter noun, so it takes the article bold het bold: bold het weer bold. There’s no plural in the ordinary meteorological sense, and you don’t use bold de bold here.

Why is the verb second in bold Ik ben blij bold, but at the end in the bold alsof bold‑clause?

Main clauses in Dutch are V2: the finite verb goes in second position, hence bold Ik ben … bold. Subordinate clauses (introduced by bold alsof, omdat, dat bold, etc.) are verb‑final: the verb(s) go to the end, hence bold … vriendelijker is geworden bold.

Does the tense in an bold alsof bold‑clause affect how real it sounds? Could I say bold … alsof het weer ineens vriendelijker was geworden bold?

Yes. Using a past tense in an bold alsof bold‑clause increases the sense of unreality or distance. Bold … alsof het weer ineens vriendelijker was geworden bold suggests even more strongly that this is only an appearance. The present perfect (bold is geworden bold) is a neutral description of how it seems now.

Is the phrasing bold Ik ben blij, alsof … bold natural, or should I add bold het is bold?

The given phrasing is natural: the bold alsof bold‑clause functions as a supplementary comparison to the first clause. If you want to make the link explicit, you can say bold Ik ben blij; het is alsof het weer … bold. Both are idiomatic; the version with bold het is bold is slightly more explicit and formal.

Can bold vriendelijker bold take an bold -e bold ending here?

Not here. Bold Vriendelijker bold is used predicatively after bold worden bold, so it stays bare: bold … vriendelijker is geworden bold. You’d add bold -e bold when it’s attributive with a determiner: bold het vriendelijkere weer bold (the friendlier weather).