Dutch conjunctions of condition and purpose: tenzij, mits, zodat and more

At B1 you learned the everyday subordinating conjunctions: als, omdat, dat, terwijl. To express yourself precisely at B2 level, you need a second set. How do you say "unless", "provided that", "as long as", "so that" or "as far as I know"? Dutch has a specific word for each: tenzij, mits, zolang, zodat, voor zover. They all follow the same word-order rule, but their meanings and registers differ in ways that English speakers often miss. This guide goes through them group by group. If you need a refresher on the basics, read Dutch conjunctions first.

The word-order rule they share

Every conjunction in this guide is subordinating. That means two things:

1. The conjugated verb goes to the end of the subclause.
2. If the subclause comes first, the main clause starts with its conjugated verb (inversion).

A comma usually separates the two clauses. For the full rules, see Dutch word order and Dutch commas.

Conditions: indien, tenzij, mits, zolang

The basic word for "if" is als. These conjunctions add a specific shade of meaning.

Tenzij: the negation is built in

Tenzij means "if not" or "except if". Since the negation is already inside the word, you don't add niet:

• We gaan fietsen, tenzij het regent. — We'll go cycling unless it rains.
• = We gaan fietsen als het niet regent. — We'll go cycling if it doesn't rain.

Adding niet reverses the meaning: tenzij het niet regent means "unless it doesn't rain", which is rarely what you want. Tenzij also appears in a few short fixed phrases: tenzij anders vermeld — unless stated otherwise.

Mits: a strict condition

Mits means "provided that" or "but only if". It sets a condition for something that is otherwise allowed or true, so the main clause usually comes first:

• Je mag mijn auto lenen, mits je hem voltankt. — You can borrow my car, provided you fill it up.
• Het product blijft lang goed, mits goed bewaard. — The product keeps for a long time, provided it is stored properly.

The second example shows that mits, like indien, can be followed by a short phrase without a verb. Other examples: indien nodig (if necessary), indien mogelijk (if possible).

Zolang: as long as

Zolang is one word when it means "as long as". Written as two words, zo lang simply means "so long": Ik heb nog nooit zo lang gewacht. — I've never waited so long.

• Zolang het droog blijft, eten we buiten. — As long as it stays dry, we'll eat outside.

Conditions without a conjunction

In both formal and everyday Dutch you can also make a condition by putting the verb first. The main clause then usually starts with dan:

• Heeft u vragen, dan kunt u ons bellen. — If you have any questions, you can call us.
• Regent het morgen, dan blijven we thuis. — If it rains tomorrow, we'll stay at home.

This is very common in letters and instructions. Stel dat (suppose that) is another useful option for hypothetical conditions.

Result and purpose: zodat, opdat, om … te

• Zodat is the everyday choice. It can describe a result (Hij was ziek, zodat hij niet kon komen. — He was ill, so he couldn't come) or a purpose (Ik leg het nog een keer uit, zodat je het begrijpt. — I'll explain it again so that you understand).
• Opdat only expresses purpose and sounds formal or old-fashioned. You'll meet it in official texts and speeches, rarely in conversation.
• When the subject of both clauses is the same, Dutch strongly prefers om … te: Ik vertrek vroeg om de trein te halen. Saying Ik vertrek vroeg, zodat ik de trein haal is correct too, but the om-version is shorter. See the te-infinitive.
• Waardoor describes an effect nobody intended. Don't use it for a purpose.

Degree and proportion: naarmate, hoe … hoe

Naarmate means "as" in the sense of "to the extent that". It describes two things that change together, and usually comes with a comparative:

• Naarmate de avond vorderde, werd het gesprek persoonlijker. — As the evening went on, the conversation became more personal.
• Naarmate je ouder wordt, ga je anders naar dingen kijken. — As you get older, you start to look at things differently.

The everyday alternative is hoe … hoe or hoe … des te ("the more …, the more …"). Watch the word order: after the second hoe the verb goes to the end, while after des te the verb usually comes straight after the comparative (verb-final, des te sneller je klaar bent, is also correct).

Reason and scope: aangezien, nu, voor zover

• Aangezien means "since" or "given that". It's a formal alternative to omdat, used for a reason the listener already knows or accepts. It usually opens the sentence: Aangezien niemand reageerde, hebben we zelf besloten. — Since nobody responded, we decided ourselves.
• Nu as a conjunction means "now that": Nu je hier bent, kunnen we beginnen. — Now that you're here, we can start.
• Voor zover means "as far as" and limits a statement: Voor zover ik weet, is de winkel vandaag open. — As far as I know, the shop is open today. Also common without a verb: voor zover bekend — as far as is known.

Aangezien cannot answer a waarom-question on its own. Use omdat there:

• Waarom ben je zo laat? Omdat de trein vertraging had. — Why are you so late? Because the train was delayed.
• Wrong: Waarom ben je zo laat? Aangezien de trein vertraging had.

Common mistakes

Quick summary

• All of these send the verb to the end; a subclause in first position triggers inversion.
• Tenzij = unless (negation built in); mits = provided that; zolang = as long as; indien = formal als.
• A condition can also start with the verb: Heeft u vragen, dan…
• Zodat = so that (result or purpose); opdat = formal purpose; same subject → om … te.
• Naarmate = as / to the extent that; compare hoe … hoe and hoe … des te.
• Aangezien = since (formal, known reason); voor zover = as far as; nu = now that.

Practise it

Practise these conjunctions in Conditions & purpose. For hypothetical als-sentences, review If I were… (zou), and for main-clause connectors like daarom and bovendien, see Linking words and the linking words guide.