A linking word joins two parts of a sentence. It tells you how they relate. Is one part the cause of the other? Does one happen first? At A2 you learn omdat, dat, als, toen, terwijl and hoewel. Those are on the page about subordinate clauses.
B1 adds a more precise set: doordat, aangezien, zodat, mits, tenzij, zodra, totdat, voordat and nadat. Some of them sound quite formal. The word order is nothing new. After every one of them the verb goes to the end.
Four kinds of meaning
You do not need to learn a new word order. You only need to learn what each word means. They fall into four groups.
| Meaning | Linking words | English | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| cause or reason | omdat, doordat, aangezien | because, due to, since | De trein is laat doordat er sneeuw ligt. |
| result or purpose | zodat | so that | Ik praat langzaam, zodat iedereen het snapt. |
| condition | mits, tenzij | provided that, unless | We gaan naar het strand, tenzij het regent. |
| time | zodra, totdat, voordat, nadat | as soon as, until, before, after | Ik bel je zodra ik thuis ben. |
In each of these the verb is at the end: doordat er sneeuw ligt. Two verbs? Both go to the end: zodat we meteen kunnen vertrekken (so that we can leave straight away).
Doordat or omdat?
English uses because for both. Dutch makes a split. Doordat is for a cause: one thing simply leads to another. Nobody decides anything.
Omdat is for a reason: someone makes a choice for a reason. In everyday Dutch omdat can also cover a cause. Doordat never works for a reason.
Doordat: a cause, it just happens
- De weg is glad doordat het heeft gevroren. (The road is slippery because it froze.)
- De muur is vochtig doordat het dak lekt. (The wall is damp because the roof leaks.)
Omdat: a reason, a choice
- Ik neem de fiets omdat het mooi weer is. (I take the bike because the weather is nice.)
- Hij blijft thuis omdat hij moe is. (He stays home because he is tired.)
Aangezien: a formal reason
Aangezien means almost the same as omdat (since, as). It sounds more formal. You see it a lot in letters from companies or the gemeente. The aangezien clause often comes first.
- Aangezien u niet op tijd heeft betaald, sturen wij een herinnering.Since you did not pay on time, we are sending a reminder.
- Aangezien het museum dicht is, gaan we morgen.Since the museum is closed, we will go tomorrow.
Zodat: a result or a purpose
After zodat comes what happens as a result. Or what you want to achieve. First the action, then the result.
- Ik zet een wekker, zodat ik niet te laat ben.I set an alarm so that I am not late.
- De gemeente maakt een fietspad, zodat kinderen veilig naar school kunnen.The council is building a cycle path so that children can get to school safely.
Mits and tenzij
Both set a condition: something that has to be true first. They work in opposite directions. Mits means only if, or provided that. Tenzij means unless.
| Word | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| mits | only if, provided that | Je mag mee, mits je op tijd bent. (You can come, provided you are on time.) |
| tenzij | unless | Je mag mee, tenzij de auto vol is. (You can come, unless the car is full.) |
You can often turn tenzij into mits by adding niet or geen. "Ik kom, tenzij het regent" means the same as "Ik kom, mits het niet regent". Both mean: I will come unless it rains.
Zodra, totdat, voordat and nadat
These four are about time. They tell you what happens first and what comes next. Most mistakes come from mixing up voordat (before) and nadat (after).
| Word | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| zodra | as soon as | Ik bel je zodra ik thuis ben. |
| totdat | until | Ik wacht totdat de winkel opengaat. |
| voordat | before | Was je handen voordat je gaat eten. |
| nadat | after | Nadat we hadden gegeten, gingen we wandelen. |
Voordat: the main clause comes first
- Ik doe de lichten uit voordat ik wegga.
- First the lights go off. Then I leave.
Nadat: the linked clause comes first
- Ik doe de lichten uit nadat iedereen weg is.
- First everyone leaves. Then the lights go off.
After nadat you often use the perfect tense: nadat we hadden gegeten (after we had eaten). Instead of totdat you can also just say tot: Ik wacht tot de winkel opengaat.
Starting with the linking word
You can also start the sentence with the linking word. After the comma, the verb of the main clause comes first. It works the same as with omdat and als.
- Zodra ik thuis ben, bel ik je.As soon as I get home, I will call you.
- Nadat de les klaar was, gingen we koffie drinken.After the lesson was over, we went for coffee.
- Aangezien het druk is, duurt het wat langer.Since it is busy, it takes a bit longer.