Het as a subject for a subject clause
Some sentences do not have a clearly defined subject. In Dutch, we then choose for either er (see er as a subject) or het.
If the phrase is set in the passive voice, we generally use er. An exception is the passive sentence of which the 'that-subclause' is a factual statement, e.g. "Het is bevestigd dat ze broers zijn." (It has been confirmed that they are brothers). See also er or het.
If the sentence has an active voice, but no clearly defined subject, we use het. We do the same in English:
| Het regent
| It rains
| Het gaat goed
| It goes alright
|
| Het is vijf uur
| It is five o' clock
| Het zal wel.*
| Lit: It will be
|
(*) A colloquial expression used in the sense of Yeah right.
Het as a 'real' subject
Being a personal pronoun, 'het' can also function as a real subject:
| Het werd keurig opgeruimd (het bureau)
| It was properly tidied (the desk)
|
| Het kan bijwerkingen veroorzaken (het medicijn)
| It can cause side-effects (the medicine)
|
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