so ... dat

So ... That

Level 4

Dit was so warm dat ons gaan swem het. (It was so hot that we went swimming.) The dat clause tells you the result.

How It Works

1. The shape. Main clause with so + adjective or adverb, then dat + the result:

  • Dit was so warm dat ons gaan swem het. (It was so hot that we went swimming.)
  • Sy praat so vinnig dat ek haar nie verstaan nie. (She talks so fast that I don't understand her.)
  • Dit het so hard gereën dat die strate onder water was. (It rained so hard that the streets were under water.)

2. Verbs at the end. The dat clause follows subordinate clause word order. When it has more than one verb, they gather at the end: dat ons gaan swem het (see het gaan swem).

3. With a noun. Use so 'n before a singular noun and sulke before a plural noun (see so 'n and sulke):

  • Dit was so 'n goeie fliek dat ek dit twee keer gesien het. (It was such a good film that I saw it twice.)

4. Negative results. A negative dat clause keeps both nie inside it: ... dat ek haar nie verstaan nie.

5. So ... dat or sodat? Sodat is one word and means so that. It usually gives a purpose: Ek praat hard sodat jy my kan hoor. (I speak loudly so that you can hear me.) When so goes with an adjective or adverb, the result starts with dat: Ek praat so hard dat almal my kan hoor. (I speak so loudly that everyone can hear me.)

Tip: In relaxed speech dat is sometimes left out, and then the verb stays in second place (see leaving out dat). In writing, keep dat.

Examples (6)

  1. Dit was so warm dat ons gaan swem het.

    It was so hot that we went swimming.

    Word by Word: It was so warm that we go swim have.

    Both verbs of the dat clause, gaan swem and het, go to the end.

  2. Sy praat so vinnig dat ek haar nie verstaan nie.

    She talks so fast that I don't understand her.

    Word by Word: She talks so fast that I her not understand not.

  3. Dit het so hard gereën dat die strate onder water was.

    It rained so hard that the streets were under water.

    Word by Word: It has so hard rained that the streets under water were.

  4. Hy was so moeg dat hy voor die TV aan die slaap geraak het.

    He was so tired that he fell asleep in front of the TV.

    Word by Word: He was so tired that he in front of the TV to the sleep got has.

  5. Dit was so 'n goeie fliek dat ek dit twee keer gesien het.

    It was such a good film that I saw it twice.

    Word by Word: It was so a good film that I it two times seen have.

    Before a singular noun, use so 'n.

  6. Die kos was so lekker dat daar niks oorgebly het nie.

    The food was so good that nothing was left over.

    Word by Word: The food was so tasty that there nothing over-stayed has not.

Common Mistakes

  • Keeping main-clause word order after dat.

    Dit was so warm dat ons het gaan swem.
    Dit was so warm dat ons gaan swem het.

    Dat starts a subordinate clause, so het moves to the end.

  • Using sodat after so + an adjective.

    Dit was so warm sodat ons gaan swem het.
    Dit was so warm dat ons gaan swem het.

    After so + an adjective or adverb, the result clause starts with dat. So is already in place before warm, so sodat does not fit here.

  • Leaving out 'n before a singular noun.

    Dit was so goeie fliek dat ek dit twee keer gesien het.
    Dit was so 'n goeie fliek dat ek dit twee keer gesien het.

    Before a singular noun, say so 'n, just as English says such a.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

so ... datLevel 4So ... That

Learn This First

So ... dat says how much something causes a result.

Words in This Pattern

so