To say what someone thinks, says or knows, Dutch joins two sentences with _dat_: _Ik denk dat het gaat regenen._ Unlike English that, _dat_ cannot be left out. And in the part after _dat_, the verb moves to the end.
The pattern
Put _dat_ between the two parts when you report a thought, a message or a fact. In the part after _dat_, the verbs move to the end, after the subject, the objects and the time words.
- The first part is a normal sentence with the verb in [second place](#/lesson/verb-second): _Ik denk_, _Sanne zegt_, _Gelukkig weet ik_.
- The part after _dat_ is a subordinate clause: a sentence inside a sentence. Its conjugated verb (the form that matches the subject, like _is_ or _komt_) goes to the end: _dat hij ziek is_.
- Two verbs both go to the end: _dat ik morgen moet werken_. In the perfect tense, both orders are correct: _dat ze heeft gebeld_ and _dat ze gebeld heeft_.
- A separable verb (a verb like _opbellen_ that splits in a normal sentence) becomes one word again: _dat hij me opbelt_.
- _Dat_ stays _dat_, also before a de-word: _Ik denk dat de trein vol is._
- A phrase with a preposition (a word like _met_ or _op_) may come before or after the verb: _dat Mei blij met haar baan is_ and _dat Mei blij is met haar baan_ are both fine. More in [What can come after the final verbs](#/lesson/after-the-final-verb).
- Useful starters: _ik denk dat_, _ik weet dat_, _ik hoop dat_, _ik vind dat_ (for your opinion), _wat leuk dat_.
Examples
| Ik denk dat het vanmiddag gaat regenen. | I think it's going to rain this afternoon. |
|---|---|
| Sanne zegt dat ze morgen niet komt. | Sanne says she isn't coming tomorrow. |
| Ik weet dat de supermarkt op zondag om zes uur sluit. | I know the supermarket closes at six on Sundays. |
| Daan vindt dat de trein vaak te vol is. | Daan thinks the train is often too full. |
| De huisarts zegt dat ik veel water moet drinken. | The GP says I have to drink a lot of water. |
| Fatima zegt dat ze de huur al heeft betaald. | Fatima says she has already paid the rent. |
| Ik hoop dat Bas me vanavond opbelt. | I hope Bas calls me tonight. |
| Gelukkig zegt Ahmed dat hij morgen kan helpen. | Luckily, Ahmed says he can help tomorrow. |
| Wat fijn dat je er bent! | How nice that you're here! |
Why it works this way
A helpful way to see it: in English, the second half of I think (that) it's raining keeps its normal word order, so that can disappear without causing confusion. In Dutch, the word order of the second half changes, and _dat_ is the signal for that change.
Think of _dat_ as opening a box. The subject, the time words and the objects go in, and the verb closes the lid. You already know this box from _omdat_ and _als_ (see [subordinate clauses](#/lesson/subordinate-clauses)). _Dat_ is one of the most frequent box openers of all.
If you want to avoid _dat_, you have to build a different sentence: put _denk ik_ at the end (_Het gaat regenen, denk ik._) or quote the words directly (_Sanne zegt: "Ik kom niet."_).
Remember: _dat_ opens the box, the verb closes it.
Watch out
- Not: _Ik denk het gaat regenen._ Say: _Ik denk dat het gaat regenen._ (English drops that, Dutch keeps _dat_)
- Not: _Ik weet dat hij is ziek._ Say: _Ik weet dat hij ziek is._ (the verb goes to the end)
- Not: _Sanne zegt dat ze komt morgen._ Say: _Sanne zegt dat ze morgen komt._ (time words come before the final verb)
- Not: _Ik hoop dat Daan belt me op._ Say: _Ik hoop dat Daan me opbelt._ (a separable verb joins up at the end)
- Not: _Komt Bas ook? Ik denk zo._ Say: _Komt Bas ook? Ik denk het wel._ (for I think so, Dutch uses _het_)
Quick check
- Fill in the gap: _Ik denk ... de bus vandaag later komt._
- Put the words in the right order: _Joris zegt dat ... (is, ziek, hij)._
- Fix the sentence: _Ik weet dat Mei heeft een nieuwe fiets._
- Choose the right form: _Ik hoop dat Yara ... (komt mee / meekomt)._
Answers
- _dat_: Dutch cannot leave it out.
- _hij ziek is_: subject first, verb last.
- _Ik weet dat Mei een nieuwe fiets heeft._ The verb _heeft_ moves to the end.
- _meekomt_: the separable verb is one word again at the end.
Use it today
Check the weather app tonight and say three sentences out loud about tomorrow: one starting with _Ik denk dat_, one with _Ik hoop dat_ and one with _Ik vind dat_. Check that each verb waits until the end. Next up: [Weet jij of...?](#/lesson/indirect-questions)