This lesson explains nevenschikkende voegwoorden like 'en', 'maar', 'of', and onderschikkende voegwoorden such as 'als', 'dat', 'omdat'. You'll learn their correct position in sentences and practice phrases like "Ik ga met pensioen en ik geniet van mijn vrije tijd." and "Ik hoop dat ik gauw op pensioen mag.".
  1. With coordinating conjunctions, the verb is in the second position.
  2. With subordinating conjunctions, the verb comes completely at the end.
Categorie (Category)Voegwoorden (Conjunctions)Voorbeeldzin (Example sentence)
Nevenschikkende voegwoorden (Coordinating conjunctions)en
maar
of
want
Ik ga met pensioen en ik geniet van mijn vrije tijd. (I am retiring and I am enjoying my free time.)
Ik mag met pensioen, maar ik wil dit nog niet. (I may retire, but I do not want to yet.)
Wil je straks naar het strand of zwembad? (Do you want to go to the beach or swimming pool later?)
Ik ga met pensioen want ik heb lang gewerkt. (I am retiring because I have worked for a long time.)
Onderschikkende voegwoorden (Subordinating conjunctions)als
dat
of
omdat
Wat ga je doen als je met pensioen bent? (What are you going to do if you are retired?)
Ik hoop dat ik gauw op pensioen mag. (I hope that I may retire soon.)
Ik vraag hem of hij vrijwilligerswerk doet. (I ask him if he does volunteer work.)
Ik ga men pensioen omdat ik oud ben. (I am retiring because I am old.)
Voegwoorden (Conjunctions) + te + infinitiefom
zonder
Piet gaat met pensioen om te rusten. (Piet is retiring to rest.)
Je kan niet met pensioen zonder een risico te nemen. (You cannot retire without taking a risk.)

Exercise 1: Nevenschikkende en onderschikkende voegwoorden

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

want, en, omdat, om, of, zonder, maar

1.
Ik ga naar buiten ... ik geniet van het mooie weer.
(I am going outside and I am enjoying the nice weather.)
2.
Wil je naar het strand ... naar het zwembad in je vrije tijd?
(Do you want to go to the beach or to the swimming pool in your free time?)
3.
Ik beslis om met pensioen te gaan ... meer vrije tijd te hebben.
(I decide to retire to have more free time.)
4.
Ik neem het risico, ... ik wil genieten van het leven.
(I take the risk, because I want to enjoy life.)
5.
Het pensioen is belangrijk, ... ik wil me ook niet vervelen.
(The pension is important, but I also do not want to be bored.)
6.
Ik doe vrijwilligerswerk ... ik veel vrije tijd heb.
(I do volunteer work because I have a lot of free time.)
7.
Hij ging weg, ... iets te zeggen.
(He left without saying anything.)
8.
Wil je vrijwilligerswerk doen ... ga niet toen tijdens je pensioen?
(Do you want to do volunteer work or not go then during your retirement?)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct sentence regarding coordinating and subordinating conjunctions.

1.
Wrong: the verb must immediately follow the subject with coordinating conjunctions.
Negation is misplaced here; the word order is incorrect due to the extra word after the verb.
2.
With the subordinating conjunction 'dat' (that), the verb should be at the end, not immediately after the subject.
Incorrect word order with subordinating conjunctions; the verb must be at the very end.
3.
Wrong: the verb must be at the end of the subordinate clause with the subordinating conjunction 'of' (if).
Wrong order; the verb should be at the end, not immediately after 'if'.
4.
Incomplete infinitive; the full verb must come after 'te'.
Incorrect word order; the full verb must follow 'te', not precede it.

Introduction to Coordinating and Subordinating Conjunctions

This lesson focuses on two important types of conjunctions in Dutch: nevenschikkende voegwoorden (coordinating conjunctions) and onderschikkende voegwoorden (subordinating conjunctions). Understanding these helps you connect words, phrases, and clauses correctly, which is essential for constructing clear and accurate sentences.

Coordinating Conjunctions (Nevenschikkende Voegwoorden)

Coordinating conjunctions join two main clauses or words of equal importance. Common examples include:

  • en (and)
  • maar (but)
  • of (or)
  • want (because/for)

Example sentences:

  • Ik ga met pensioen en ik geniet van mijn vrije tijd.
  • Ik mag met pensioen, maar ik wil dit nog niet.
  • Wil je straks naar het strand of zwembad?
  • Ik ga met pensioen want ik heb lang gewerkt.

Note: With coordinating conjunctions, the verb remains in the second position in the sentence.

Subordinating Conjunctions (Onderschikkende Voegwoorden)

Subordinating conjunctions introduce dependent clauses, providing additional information. Some examples are:

  • als (if/when)
  • dat (that)
  • of (whether/if)
  • omdat (because)

Example sentences:

  • Wat ga je doen als je met pensioen bent?
  • Ik hoop dat ik gauw op pensioen mag.
  • Ik vraag hem of hij vrijwilligerswerk doet.
  • Ik ga met pensioen omdat ik oud ben.

Important: In subordinate clauses introduced by these conjunctions, the verb is placed at the very end of the clause.

Conjunctions with "te" + Infinitive

Some conjunctions are followed by te plus the infinitive form of a verb. These include:

  • om (in order to)
  • zonder (without)

Example sentences:

  • Piet gaat met pensioen om te rusten.
  • Je kan niet met pensioen zonder een risico te nemen.

Important Grammar Notes

Conjunctions are words that connect clauses and phrases, such as en, maar, als, dat, and om. When using coordinating conjunctions, the verb stays in the second position. With subordinating conjunctions, expect the verb at the end of the clause.

Comparison Between English and Dutch

Unlike English, where word order in subordinate clauses typically remains similar to main clauses, Dutch places the conjugated verb at the very end in subordinate clauses. For example:

  • English: "I hope that I can enjoy my free time soon." (word order remains regular)
  • Dutch: "Ik hoop dat ik gauw van vrije tijd kan genieten." (the verb kan genieten moves to the end)

Also, some conjunctions have the same spelling in Dutch but different uses depending on context, like of, which can mean "or" (coordinating) or "whether/if" (subordinating).

Useful Phrases and Expressions

  • Ik ga met pensioen en ik geniet van mijn vrije tijd. – I am retiring and I enjoy my free time.
  • Wat ga je doen als je met pensioen bent? – What will you do when you retire?
  • Piet gaat met pensioen om te rusten. – Piet is retiring in order to rest.
  • Ik vraag hem of hij vrijwilligerswerk doet. – I ask him if he does volunteer work.

This understanding will help you construct more complex, natural sentences in Dutch and improve your communication skills.

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Kato De Paepe

Business and languages

KdG University of Applied Sciences and Arts Antwerp

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Last Updated:

Monday, 01/09/2025 01:00