Doubled Conjunctions
In informal speech across Flanders and many parts of the Netherlands, speakers often add an extra dat after conjunctions like of, hoe, or als. While common in spoken registers, it is considered non-standard.
How It Works
In Standard Dutch (AN), a subordinating conjunction introduces a clause directly. However, in many dialects and in informal Belgian Dutch, speakers insert a second dat. While certain forms like als dat appear in Hollandic dialects, systematic doubling is primarily a feature of Southern Dutch (Flanders and North Brabant).
Key Characteristics:
- Common Triggers: The most frequent examples are of dat (whether/if), hoe dat (how), waarom dat (why), and conditional als dat (if). Note that omdat is already a compound of om + dat, so it is almost never doubled further.
- Interrogative Doubling: When using question words like wie or wat as conjunctions, speakers often add dat. If the question word is the subject, an expletive er is often added (e.g., 'wie dat er').
- Relative Doubling: This phenomenon also extends to relative pronouns in some dialects, where a pleonastic 'dat' is added after the pronoun (e.g., 'de man die dat daar loopt').
- Word Order: The extra dat does not change the SOV structure; the verbs remain at the end.
Register Note: This is a 'recognition-only' pattern. You should become proficient in identifying it to understand native speakers, but avoid using it in formal writing or speech.
Examples (5)
- Ik weet niet of dat hij komt.
I don't know if (that) he is coming.
Word by Word: I know not if that he comes.
The conjunction 'of' is very frequently doubled with 'dat' in both Flemish and various Southern Dutch dialects.
- Als dat het regent, blijven we binnen.
If (that) it rains, we stay inside.
Word by Word: If that it rains, stay we inside.
In informal registers, 'als' is often doubled with 'dat' when used as a conditional (meaning 'if'). This is one of the few doubling patterns also heard in some Northern dialects.
- Ik weet niet wie dat er komt.
I don't know who (that) is coming.
Word by Word: I know not who that there comes.
When doubling interrogatives like 'wie', speakers often use 'er' as a placeholder subject if the question word itself is the subject of the clause.
- Ik begrijp niet hoe dat hij dat doet.
I don't understand how (that) he does that.
Word by Word: I understand not how that he that does.
The question word 'hoe' is a very common trigger for doubling with 'dat' in daily spoken Dutch.
- Zodra dat het stopt met regenen, gaan we wandelen.
As soon as (that) it stops raining, we are going for a walk.
Word by Word: As soon as that it stops with raining, go we walk.
The conjunction 'zodra' is frequently doubled in casual speech, particularly in the southern regions of the Dutch-speaking area.
Common Mistakes
Using doubled conjunctions in formal writing or exams.
Different MeaningIk weet niet of dat hij komt.Ik weet niet of hij komt.Of dat is common in casual speech. In careful written Standard Dutch, the short form of hij komt is the norm.
Using 'wie dat' in standard Dutch.
Ik vraag me af wie dat komt.Ik vraag me af wie er komt.Some spoken varieties double the question word with 'dat' ('wie dat er komt'), but standard Dutch uses just 'wie er komt'.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To understand doubled conjunctions, you first need to be familiar with standard subordinating conjunctions like 'omdat' and 'dat'. Since these constructions appear in spoken Dutch at the beginning of subordinate clauses, you must also understand the specific word order (verb-final) that these clauses trigger.
- datThat (Conjunction)
The word 'dat' is the most common element added in these doubled constructions (e.g., 'omdat dat'), so its role as a subordinator must be understood.
Level 2 - SOV in Subordinate Clauses
Doubled conjunctions occur at the start of subordinate clauses, which require a specific SOV word order that the learner must be comfortable with.
Level 3
Related Patterns
- Tussentaal
Doubled conjunctions are a hallmark feature of Tussentaal (informal Belgian Dutch).
Level 6 - of (afhankelijke vraag)Of (Whether)
The conjunction 'of' is one of the most frequent words to undergo doubling in informal speech.
Level 3 - wieWho
Interrogative words like 'wie' often trigger a pleonastic 'dat' in informal registers.
Level 1 - hoeHow
The question word 'hoe' is frequently followed by 'dat' in casual spoken Dutch.
Level 1 - dieRelative Pronoun (De-words)
Relative pronouns like 'die' can also be doubled with 'dat' in certain dialects.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice Doubled Conjunctions in Bubblegum
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