The following words can mark the beginning of a short subclause:
om, ten einde | to, in order to | door | by
na | after | alvorens | before
zonder | without | in plaats van | instead of
Examples
Om
Normal subordinate clause with _omdat_:
Main clause | [conj](#/lesson/WordOrder.58) | subject | [DIROB](#/lesson/WordOrder.16) | [VERBS](#/lesson/WordOrder.57)
Ze deed dat | omdat | ze | ons | wilde helpen
She did that because she wanted to help us.
Short subclause with _om_:
Main clause | conj | [DIROB](#/lesson/WordOrder.16) | [VERBS](#/lesson/WordOrder.57)
Ze deed dat | om | ons | te helpen
She did that to help us.
Door
Normal subordinate clause with _doordat_:
Main clause | [conj](#/lesson/WordOrder.58) | subject | [DIROB](#/lesson/WordOrder.16) | [VERBS](#/lesson/WordOrder.57)
Hij zorgde voor een leuke sfeer | doordat | hij | grappige anekdotes | vertelde.
He created a nice atmosphere because he was telling funny anecdotes.
Short subclause with _door_:
Main clause | conj | [DIROB](#/lesson/WordOrder.16) | [VERBS](#/lesson/WordOrder.57)
Hij zorgde voor een leuke sfeer | door | grapppige anekdotes | te vertellen
He created a nice atmosphere by telling funny anecdotes.
Alvorens
A sentence does not necessarily begin with the main clause.
In the example below, the sentence begins with the short subclause. The main clause follows after it. Note the inversion of subject and object in the main clause.
Normal subordinate clause with _voordat_:
[conj](#/lesson/WordOrder.58) | subject | [PLACE](#/lesson/WordOrder.15) | [VERBS](#/lesson/WordOrder.57) | main clause
Voordat | ze | naar Ghana | ging, | had ze veel gelezen over de Ashanti.
Before she went to Ghana, she had read a lot about the Ashanti.
Short subclause with _alvorens_:
conj | subject | [PLACE](#/lesson/WordOrder.15) | [VERBS](#/lesson/WordOrder.57) | main clause
Alvorens | - | naar Ghana | te gaan | had ze veel gelezen over de Ashanti.
Before going to Ghana, she read a lot about the Ashanti.
Na
As you read on the previous page, a short subclause that begis with _na_ is always set in the perfect tense.
Normal subordinate clause with _nadat_:
[conj](#/lesson/WordOrder.58) | subject | [MANNER](#/lesson/WordOrder.14) | [PLACE](#/lesson/WordOrder.15) | [VERBS](#/lesson/WordOrder.57) | main clause
Nadat | we | met de honden | in het bos | hadden gewandeld | dronken we in de herberg een kop koffie.
After we had walked in the woods with the dogs,
we had a cup of coffee in the tavern.
Short subclause with _na_:
conj | subject | [MANNER](#/lesson/WordOrder.14) | [PLACE](#/lesson/WordOrder.15) | [VERBS](#/lesson/WordOrder.57) | main clause
Na | - | met de honden | in het bos | te hebben gewandeld | dronken we in de herberg een kop koffie.
After having walked in the woods with the dogs,
we had a cup of coffee in the tavern.
Zonder
Normal subordinate clause with _zonder dat_:
Main clause | [conj](#/lesson/WordOrder.58) | subject | [DIROB](#/lesson/WordOrder.16) | [VERBS](#/lesson/WordOrder.57) | Main clause
Hij gaf, | zonder dat | hij | het | wist | het juiste antwoord
He gave, without 'that he knew it', the right answer.
Short subclause with _zonder_:
Main clause | [conj](#/lesson/WordOrder.58) | subject | [DIROB](#/lesson/WordOrder.16) | [VERBS](#/lesson/WordOrder.57) | Main clause
Hij gaf, | zonder | - | het | te weten | het juiste antwoord
He gave, without knowing it, the right answer.
In plaats van
Normal subordinate clause with _in plaats van dat_:
[conj](#/lesson/WordOrder.58) | subject | [DIROB](#/lesson/WordOrder.16) | [PLACE](#/lesson/WordOrder.15) | [VERBS](#/lesson/WordOrder.57) | main clause
In plaats van dat | hij | de toestand | in het land | verbeterde | maakte hij alles alleen maar erger
'Instead that' he improved the situation in the country,
he only made everything worse.
Short subclause with _in plaats van_:
[conj](#/lesson/WordOrder.58) | subject | [DIROB](#/lesson/WordOrder.16) | [PLACE](#/lesson/WordOrder.15) | [VERBS](#/lesson/WordOrder.57) | main clause
In plaats van | - | de toestand | in het land | te verbeteren, | maakte hij alles alleen maar erger
Instead of improving the situation in the country,
he only made everything worse.