Co-ordinating clause | Dutch Grammar

The co-ordinating clause

is attached to the main clause by a conjunction.

The most common co-ordinating conjunctions:

en | and

maar | but

of | or

want | as

dus\* | so

(\*) _Dus_ can also be an adverb.

A co-ordinating clause has the same word order as a main clause. See also [overview](#/lesson/WordOrder.02) of the main clause.

My father has written a novel and I am designing the cover.

When we use _en_, we often skip elements that are repeated in the co-clause. In the following sentence, the subject _hij_ (he) is repeated in the co-clause. Just like in English, we can omit the second occurrence of _hij._

My father has written a novel and he will probably become very famous.

The next sentence is a question. Note the inversion of the [subject and finite verb](#/lesson/WordOrder.04). Again, the word order of the main and co-clause are the same.

Gaan jullie | nog | de stad in | - | of | blijven jullie | hier? | -

Are you still going out (to town) or are you staying (here)?

The PLACE-element has the form _noun_ (de stad) + _postposition_ (in), which is common for adverbial constructions that express movement or direction.

Biologie valt | vandaag | uit | - | dus | jullie kunnen | naar huis | -

Biology (class) is cancelled today so you can go home.

_Uit_ is the [prefix of the separable compound verb](#/lesson/WordOrder.25) _uitvallen_ (to be cancelled, to fall out).

In the above example, you may have missed the verb _gaan_ (to go) in "jullie kunnen naar huis". _Gaan_ is often omitted when it is supported by an auxiliary verb. Compare with: "We willen naar de film" (lit: we want to the movies), "Die bank kan naar mijn schoonouders" (lit: that couch can to my parents-in-law).

I was not frying eggs but (I was) baking fish

Just like with the conjunction _en,_ we can skip elements that are repeated in the co-clause when we use _maar_ (but).

Let's quickly tidy the house as we are getting visitors

The inversion in the finite form of the main clause occurs because we are using the "let's go" construction (see also [imperative](#/lesson/Verbs.Ot06)).