Dutch conditionals (if clauses)
Sign up for free to get all information about private lessons and our available group courses (A1, A2, B2, B2, C1, C2)
Sign up for freeWe offer both private lessons and organized group courses
Sign up for free to get all available courses or contact one of our teachers yourself!
Lauren D.
25.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
David I.
38.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Arjen J.
35.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Our offer
In this chapter you will learn about the Dutch conditionals, also known as 'if clauses'. Conditionals describe a certain proviso.
Definition and usage of the Dutch conditional
A conditional is used to describe a certain proviso. The conditional always consists of two elements:
- the condition
- and the result if the condition is fulfilled.
The if clauses in Dutch are formed with the word 'als'. The conjugate, or finite verb has to be placed at the end of the conditional sentence.
The following table shows you the situations in which the conditional is used and examples.
| Situation | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
1. The condition is a possibility and the result is probably going to happen. |
|
|
2. The condition is an event that probably will not happen and the result describes what will happen if the unlikely condition will be fulfilled. |
|
|
| 3. The condition is about an event in the past that did not happen. The result tells you what would have happened if the event took place. |
|
|
You can put the word 'dan' directly after the comma, but it is not mandatory. For example:
- Als ik gestudeerd had, zou ik zijn geslaagd. (If I had studied I would have passed.)
- Als ik gestudeerd had, dan zou ik zijn geslaagd.
2) Concordance of tenses with the Dutch conditional
The conjugation of verbs in the conditional in the present and in the past tenses is quite easy to master, but it is necessary to respect the tense concordance.
| Main clause | Subordinate clause | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| present simple | present simple | Als je al je groenten eet, krijg je dessert. | If you eat all your vegetables, you get dessert. |
| present simple | future simple | Als u dokter wordt, zult u in een ziekenhuis werken. | If you become a doctor, you will be working in a hospital. |
| past simple | conditional present | Als hij wat langer kon slapen, zou hij meer uitgerust zijn. | If he slept a bit longer, he would be more rested. |
| past perfect | conditional perfect | Als we hen hadden gewaarschuwd, zouden ze het besmette water niet hebben gedronken. | If we had warned them, they would not have drunk the contaminated water. |
In the spoken langage, the conditional perfect is often replaced by the past perfect. This avoids long verbal groups when a modal verb (moeten, kunnen, mogen, willen) is used for example.
Examples
- Als hij het hout had gekapt, hadden we een vuur kunnen maken. = If he had cut the wood, we could have made a fire.
- Hij had de commode moeten vervangen. = He should have replaced the dresser.
And now, practice using the exercises below!
Exercises
Exercise Dutch conditionals
Practice the Dutch conditionals
Fill in the missing sentences. The missing parts are given between brackets. Don't forget to conjugate the verbs in the present!
Tip: In both parts of the sentences we assume that the conditions can be fullfilled. We use the present tense in both parts.
- Als ik honger heb, dan kook ik iets. (If I'm hungry, I will cook something.)
- Als ik tijd heb, help ik je natuurlijk. (If i have time, I will help you of course.)
1. , koop je een nieuwe. (als / vol / zijn / het schrift)
(When the note book is full, you buy a new one.)
2. , bak ik een cake. (wanneer / hij / jarig / zijn)
(When it's his birthday, I will bake a cake.)
3. , blijf ik atlijd thuis. (als / het / regenen)
(If it's raining, I always stay at home.)
4. Als ik thuis ben, . (eten / ik / een zak chips)
(When I get home, I eat a bag of crisps.)
5. Als de vaatwasser kapot is, . (afwassen / wij / zelf)
(If the dishwasher breaks, we will do the dishes ourselves.)
6. Als je naar school gaat, veel. (je / leren / veel)
(When you go to school, you learn a lot.)
7. Als Emma tijd heeft, graag . (ze / lezen / boeken)
(If Emma has time, she likes to read books.)
8. Als ik deze opdracht af heb, eerder naar huis. ( ik / kunnen)
(If I finish this task, I can go home earlier.)
9. , als je geen auto hebt. (Papa / je / kunnen / brengen)
(Dad can bring you, if you don't have a car.)
10. Als zij komt, . (ik / zijn / blij )
(If she comes, I will be happy.)
What our students say
Unlike in other platforms, all our teachers are manually verified by our professional team. Trust in the experiences of our students.
It took me a long time to find my real passion in my (work) life. After studying in two universities, graduating in two bachelors, travelling the world and working abroad for several years I realized public education is where my heart lies. I went for the third time back to the university to get my teachers degree.
I have been a classroom teacher for 5 years in Dutch primary schools before I moved 4,5 years ago abroad to Colombia where I became specifically an English teacher. I am specialized in teaching in pre-, elementary, middle (secondary) and high school. I have been teaching in all different grades and all primary subjects in English and got specialised in Teaching English as a second language. Most schools where I have been working were inspired by the philosophy of 'Vygotsky'. A philosophy and methodology I also use in my private classes. Therefore they are dynamic and adapted to your personal needs.
Working in the Netherlands and Colombia in education and in several countries worldwide have allowed me to gain a variety of skill sets. These experiences also have provided me with the tools necessary for working abroad and online including adaptability, patience, dedication to my peer’s success, and respect for cultural and societal norms. Learning English as a second language from someone that is trained to teach the language like this and also once has learned the language herself as a second language (as my native language is Dutch), gives me a lot of benefits in comparison of learning the language from a native speaker.
Aside from this being my day to day job already for the past 10 years in Bilingual primary, middle and high schools, I started private classes to teach English as a second language in the afternoons. I am new to this platform as I haven't offered my services in the past through an official platform. With the recent changes worldwide I thought it is a good moment to focus more on online teaching and decided to dedicate all my time at the moment on online teaching. Therefore I have a wide availability Let me know which level you have and if there's anything specific you would like to focus on. I have experience in teaching all facets of the language.
S. H.
We found our first Dutch class with Lisa really helpful. She is very patient and made the class enjoyable. Looking forward to getting started :)
Lisa C.
I'm a bilingual native speaker of Polish and Czech, with fluent English and German. I've been teaching individual Polish and Czech courses for language schools and have 20 years of experience as a translator. I also gathered experience in many language tandems with Polish and Czech learners.
Feel free to book a trial lesson (30 mins) to see what I can do for you!
P. D.
I am very happy to have Katarzyna as a czech teacher. The lessons are well prepared. She suggests conversations and then listens carefully to me. She asks me to repeat what I could not explain clearly with my own words and then corrects me. After each lesson, I take away some useful words or expressions for everyday situations.
Katarzyna S.
Thanks a lot for your review! Patrick is also a very attentive and motivated student. :)
Do you want to improve your Dutch for work and daily life in the Netherlands? I help young expats enhance their Dutch skills, so you can speak and write with more confidence. Not because you have to, but because you want to! My lessons are practical and focused on what you truly need, whether you’re a beginner or already at a higher level.
What you can expect:
Lessons for beginners to advanced learners (B2 to C1), with a methodical and structured approach
Exercises that fit your work and life in the Netherlands
Focus on building confidence and keeping your self-respect, as you find your place as a new resident
Long-term collaboration, aimed at lasting progress and making the most of your new country
In my lessons, you’ll not only learn the language but also how to communicate your unique value and fully use the opportunities in your new home. This way, you’ll get to know the Netherlands better and make your own special contribution!
Ready to improve your Dutch? Contact me and let’s explore the possibilities!
D. D.
Speaks clearly, corrects positively, steers the class confidently at a pace that suits the student. Has a great system, and quickly identifies areas of improvement. Great teacher.
Monique M.
HALF-HOUR FREE TRIAL CLASS Language lessons Dutch / French. From culture and literature to spelling and grammar. And a lot of conversations!
N. .
Helene is an excellent teacher and a pleasure to work with. She has an organized lesson at the start and has a easy and clear communication style. I took Dutch classes from her, so I know she is at least fluent in English and Dutch. I also understand she is fluent in French as well. I plan to continue taking classes with Helene!
Hélène M.
Do you want to improve your Dutch for work and daily life in the Netherlands? I help young expats enhance their Dutch skills, so you can speak and write with more confidence. Not because you have to, but because you want to! My lessons are practical and focused on what you truly need, whether you’re a beginner or already at a higher level.
What you can expect:
Lessons for beginners to advanced learners (B2 to C1), with a methodical and structured approach
Exercises that fit your work and life in the Netherlands
Focus on building confidence and keeping your self-respect, as you find your place as a new resident
Long-term collaboration, aimed at lasting progress and making the most of your new country
In my lessons, you’ll not only learn the language but also how to communicate your unique value and fully use the opportunities in your new home. This way, you’ll get to know the Netherlands better and make your own special contribution!
Ready to improve your Dutch? Contact me and let’s explore the possibilities!
I. G.
Monique is a very friendly, charismatic, positive and encouraging teacher. Her lessons are always extremely interesting, dynamic and very productive. I am focusing mostly on improving my speaking abilities and it is always an interesting discussion on different topics. The lessons with her are a real pleasure for me. I just always regret, that our lesson past so quickly. I highly recommend Monique :)
Monique M.
Do you want to improve your Dutch for work and daily life in the Netherlands? I help young expats enhance their Dutch skills, so you can speak and write with more confidence. Not because you have to, but because you want to! My lessons are practical and focused on what you truly need, whether you’re a beginner or already at a higher level.
What you can expect:
Lessons for beginners to advanced learners (B2 to C1), with a methodical and structured approach
Exercises that fit your work and life in the Netherlands
Focus on building confidence and keeping your self-respect, as you find your place as a new resident
Long-term collaboration, aimed at lasting progress and making the most of your new country
In my lessons, you’ll not only learn the language but also how to communicate your unique value and fully use the opportunities in your new home. This way, you’ll get to know the Netherlands better and make your own special contribution!
Ready to improve your Dutch? Contact me and let’s explore the possibilities!
J. E.
Monique is a very accomplished, competent and friendly teacher. She can explain content well, offers a lot of exercise material on its own and creates a pleasant learning atmosphere in which you dare to make mistakes. I can only recommend her and look forward to the next few hours with her.
Monique M.
I was born in the Netherlands and was living there for most of my life. I did a bachelor in Economics and Languages. That means I can help anyone with Dutch. From Recreational to Business use of Dutch, I will make sure we get to your goals.
Furthermore I have been using my second language, English, for many years while I was studying in England at NENE university in Northampton. I worked for a US based company for almost 10 years. I was teaching English in India and Nepal. Currently I am residing in Poland.
A. .
Jeff is a wonderful teacher. He listens well and understood my personal needs if it comes to learning Dutch. Highly recommended!
Jeff N.
Hi, Mi name is Paul. I'm a certified (TEFL, ELE) teacher with over 10 years of experience in language teaching. I am actually teaching business clients and individuals.
I always try to keep the classes informal and relaxed. It's important that the students like the class, and that they feel comfortable. That results in progress, and that's exactly what we want.
The focus is on conversation (so pronunciation!) and understanding but also reading and writing are important to improve active vocabulary.
Now grammar is also important to understand the structure of a language, but I only touch grammar when needed, so that depends a lot on the level (from A1 to C2).
For lower-level students who still need some native language in class, I speak fluently Spanish, Dutch and some German and French.
The first class is free of charge, so just try it! I'm sure you'll like it.
A. .
Paul has done well gauging my level and then setting up lessons to match. With a combination of grammar, pronunciation, and learning new words. And now with more focused work and being able to come up with sentences.
Paul K.
Hello, my name is Michel and I'm a Dutch primary school language teacher. I lived in France for 7 years and I worked for an international school that is well known all over France. I moved to Madeira, Portugal and started to work as online Dutch language teacher 4 years ago. Teaching children and adults is my passion aswel as having fun with learning a new language.
My lessons are adapted to your level and due to my job and experience I have acces to teaching methodes to learn you the basics of the Dutch language or to improve your level. I can help you to improve your level of writing and speaking or help you learn your first words and phrases.
H. M.
Michel / Johannes is really nice, he adapted to my needs and understood my type of learning. Result: really targeted courses that allow me to make rapid progress.
Michel B.
L. T.
Linda has been an amazing teacher and completely adapted to my needs! :) I would totally recommend her.
Linda R.
Hello,I would love to help you improve your knowledge of English.I adapt the lessons following your wishes : are you a beginner and need to get some basic knowledge with grammar and easy texts or do you want to improve your conversation skills. I can help you either way.Looking forward to meeting you !
G. .
I have been with franscoise for nearly 20 lessons now. She has excellent command of English so it is easy to learn the Dutch expression equivalent to the one in english. She can focus on routine grammar stuff as well as useful daily conversation phrases such as “don’t jump the queue “ etc . She can definitely tailor the programme according to my need but in a discreet manner . Franscoise would give me homework such as exercise from the text or essay to help me consolidate what I have learnt , or simply prepare for the next lesson. She travelled a lot and has international perspective as well as cultural sensitivities but keeping her sense of humour. A kind and understanding person to be with. Definitely has a passion to teach and to share. Definitely not a money grabber ! Lucky to have her in my journey of Dutch learning.
Francoise D.
Hello, my name is Claus !For many years I teach students from all over the world as a professional teacher of the German language. With a lot of experience and patience I lead my students to their to teach successfully and with fun. I offer you general language courses of B1- C2 with test preparations, as well as courses in Business German (prerequisites are language proficiency in German from level B1 +!).
P. D.
Claus has now been helping me to improve my German for a few weeks. Claus has a lot of experience as a teacher and he also has a large general culture. He always comes with interesting topics. The discussions help me to gain confidence, expand my vocabulary and correct some mistakes.
Claus B.
As non-native parents it is certainly not easy to teach your children Dutch or to help with the fluency of the new language. Who wants some extra exercise for his children? I can help you with that. As their vocabulary becomes more and more extensive and their sentences become increasingly fluid, your children will get more and more self-confident. To speak well the Dutch language will surely benefit them now and later.
Do your children need some help with their homework, especially with their Dutch, then I can help with that.
Even as non-native-speaking adults, it is sometimes difficult to have enough exercise. That is why also adults who want to make progress in speaking the Dutch language are welcome here! We can practice the everyday language together.
P. S.
Liesbet's teaching is progressive and adapted to the level of the student. His working method is very efficient, dynamic and focused on areas for improvement. The material used is varied: texts, videos, grammar exercises, pronunciation and vocabularies (synonyms, antonyms, nuances, etc.). The lessons are always different and never look like. Punctuality and seriousness. I highly recommend.
Liesbet L.
Hi!
I would like to help you with Cambridge Examination preparation (KET, PET, FCE and CAE), as well as conversational English!
Please contact me for one-on-one lessons.
Denise
I. G.
She is very easy to understand because she speaks very clear and she explains very well. The working material that she makes available to me is very professional. She is a very friendly and competent teacher. I really enjoy the lessons.
Denise C.
Hi! I am Maaike, a Dutch primary school teacher. Every day I'm doing by best to teach the Dutch language well to the childeren, but also other languages such as English and Spanish.
I have more than 12 years of experience as a teacher, in the Netherlands and abroad, to young and old!
In the Netherlands I have experience in each grade, so I know exactly how the Dutch language is given in primary education. This can certainly help children, but also adults who want to learn the Dutch language in a correct way, having a good basic knowledge is the most important part of learning a new language.
I lived in Spain for 3 years where I taught English to Spanish children and adults. During that period I also followed an intensive language course to learn the Spanish language. Currently I am learning Nepali through Skype. I know what it is like to learn a new language, what it involves and how the learning process works.
I will first discuss with you what you would like to achieve by following the language lessons and what your needs are. Maybe it's just speaking skills, or grammar or listening skills, or a combination. In addition, I want to use my creativity to apply methods that work best for you, personalized language classes. :)
My goal is to give you the feeling after each class that you've come one step closer to your personal goal!
Feel free to request a trial class, so we can see what I can do for you and if my way of teaching suits you. See you soon! :)
V. .
Maaike is a very professional teacher and makes the lessons very enjoyable. She prepares the topics well before the class with the appropriate material. She teaches me different spelling rules, exercises to practise the spelling rules, reading comprehension and we discuss about the text and grammar. She often asks me if the lessons are ok or if I would prepare something different. Abril.
Maaike R.
It took me a long time to find my real passion in my (work) life. After studying in two universities, graduating in two bachelors, travelling the world and working abroad for several years I realized public education is where my heart lies. I went for the third time back to the university to get my teachers degree.
I have been a classroom teacher for 5 years in Dutch primary schools before I moved 4,5 years ago abroad to Colombia where I became specifically an English teacher. I am specialized in teaching in pre-, elementary, middle (secondary) and high school. I have been teaching in all different grades and all primary subjects in English and got specialised in Teaching English as a second language. Most schools where I have been working were inspired by the philosophy of 'Vygotsky'. A philosophy and methodology I also use in my private classes. Therefore they are dynamic and adapted to your personal needs.
Working in the Netherlands and Colombia in education and in several countries worldwide have allowed me to gain a variety of skill sets. These experiences also have provided me with the tools necessary for working abroad and online including adaptability, patience, dedication to my peer’s success, and respect for cultural and societal norms. Learning English as a second language from someone that is trained to teach the language like this and also once has learned the language herself as a second language (as my native language is Dutch), gives me a lot of benefits in comparison of learning the language from a native speaker.
Aside from this being my day to day job already for the past 10 years in Bilingual primary, middle and high schools, I started private classes to teach English as a second language in the afternoons. I am new to this platform as I haven't offered my services in the past through an official platform. With the recent changes worldwide I thought it is a good moment to focus more on online teaching and decided to dedicate all my time at the moment on online teaching. Therefore I have a wide availability Let me know which level you have and if there's anything specific you would like to focus on. I have experience in teaching all facets of the language.
S. H.
We found our first Dutch class with Lisa really helpful. She is very patient and made the class enjoyable. Looking forward to getting started :)
Lisa C.
I'm a bilingual native speaker of Polish and Czech, with fluent English and German. I've been teaching individual Polish and Czech courses for language schools and have 20 years of experience as a translator. I also gathered experience in many language tandems with Polish and Czech learners.
Feel free to book a trial lesson (30 mins) to see what I can do for you!
P. D.
I am very happy to have Katarzyna as a czech teacher. The lessons are well prepared. She suggests conversations and then listens carefully to me. She asks me to repeat what I could not explain clearly with my own words and then corrects me. After each lesson, I take away some useful words or expressions for everyday situations.
Thanks a lot for your review! Patrick is also a very attentive and motivated student. :)
Do you want to improve your Dutch for work and daily life in the Netherlands? I help young expats enhance their Dutch skills, so you can speak and write with more confidence. Not because you have to, but because you want to! My lessons are practical and focused on what you truly need, whether you’re a beginner or already at a higher level.
What you can expect:
Lessons for beginners to advanced learners (B2 to C1), with a methodical and structured approach
Exercises that fit your work and life in the Netherlands
Focus on building confidence and keeping your self-respect, as you find your place as a new resident
Long-term collaboration, aimed at lasting progress and making the most of your new country
In my lessons, you’ll not only learn the language but also how to communicate your unique value and fully use the opportunities in your new home. This way, you’ll get to know the Netherlands better and make your own special contribution!
Ready to improve your Dutch? Contact me and let’s explore the possibilities!
D. D.
Speaks clearly, corrects positively, steers the class confidently at a pace that suits the student. Has a great system, and quickly identifies areas of improvement. Great teacher.
Monique M.
HALF-HOUR FREE TRIAL CLASS Language lessons Dutch / French. From culture and literature to spelling and grammar. And a lot of conversations!
N. .
Helene is an excellent teacher and a pleasure to work with. She has an organized lesson at the start and has a easy and clear communication style. I took Dutch classes from her, so I know she is at least fluent in English and Dutch. I also understand she is fluent in French as well. I plan to continue taking classes with Helene!
Hélène M.