Dutch conditionals (if clauses)
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In this chapter you will learn about the Dutch conditionals, also known as 'if clauses'. Conditionals describe a certain proviso.
A conditional is used to describe a certain proviso. The conditional always consists of two elements:
The if clauses in Dutch are formed with the word 'als'. The conjugate, or finite verb has to be placed at the end of the conditional sentence.
The following table shows you the situations in which the conditional is used and examples.
Situation | Example | Translation |
---|---|---|
1. The condition is a possibility and the result is probably going to happen. |
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2. The condition is an event that probably will not happen and the result describes what will happen if the unlikely condition will be fulfilled. |
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3. The condition is about an event in the past that did not happen. The result tells you what would have happened if the event took place. |
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You can put the word 'dan' directly after the comma, but it is not mandatory. For example:
The conjugation of verbs in the conditional in the present and in the past tenses is quite easy to master, but it is necessary to respect the tense concordance.
Main clause | Subordinate clause | Example | Translation |
---|---|---|---|
present simple | present simple | Als je al je groenten eet, krijg je dessert. | If you eat all your vegetables, you get dessert. |
present simple | future simple | Als u dokter wordt, zult u in een ziekenhuis werken. | If you become a doctor, you will be working in a hospital. |
past simple | conditional present | Als hij wat langer kon slapen, zou hij meer uitgerust zijn. | If he slept a bit longer, he would be more rested. |
past perfect | conditional perfect | Als we hen hadden gewaarschuwd, zouden ze het besmette water niet hebben gedronken. | If we had warned them, they would not have drunk the contaminated water. |
In the spoken langage, the conditional perfect is often replaced by the past perfect. This avoids long verbal groups when a modal verb (moeten, kunnen, mogen, willen) is used for example.
And now, practice using the exercises below!
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Do you want to improve your Dutch for work and daily life in the Netherlands? I help young expats enhance their Dutch skills, so you can speak and write with more confidence. Not because you have to, but because you want to! My lessons are practical and focused on what you truly need, whether you’re a beginner or already at a higher level.
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