Dutch grammar: gebruik van congruentie in samengestelde zinnen

What this grammar point covers

In Dutch, 'congruence in compound sentences' means that the verb must agree in number and person with the subject in each clause, even when there are multiple clauses in a sentence.

When to use it

Use congruence in Dutch whenever you build sentences with more than one clause (compound or complex sentences). Each clause must have its own subject and verb, and the verb must agree with the subject in number (singular/plural) and person.

Key forms

• Het meisje leest een boek en haar broer speelt buiten.
• De kinderen lachen omdat zij blij zijn.
• Ik weet dat hij morgen komt.

Examples

Tips

• Always check that the verb matches the subject in each clause, even if the subject changes.
• In Dutch, the subject and verb may be separated in subordinate clauses. Make sure to use the correct verb form.
• Do not use the same verb form for different subjects unless they are both plural or both singular.

Exceptions and edge cases

• Sometimes, in informal speech, people may omit the subject in the second clause if it is the same as in the first, but this is not standard in written Dutch.