ten einde ... te

In Order to (Formal): Ten Einde

Level 5

Swap om for ten einde to sound formal: Die pad is gesluit ten einde herstelwerk te doen. (The road is closed in order to do repairs.)

How It Works

1. Same shape as om ... te. Ten einde replaces om in formal writing. Everything else stays the same:

  • Ons spaar geld om 'n huis te koop. (everyday)
  • Die raad het fondse bewillig ten einde 'n nuwe saal te bou. (formal)

2. One subject. The purpose clause has no subject of its own. The subject of the main clause is also the one who does the action after ten einde. In a passive sentence, it is the people behind the action: in Die pad is gesluit ten einde herstelwerk te doen, workers do the repairs, not the road. When the purpose has a different subject of its own, use sodat with a full clause instead.

3. Te before the last verb. Te stands right before the infinitive at the end of the clause. With a separable verb, te goes between the two parts: ten einde die agterstand in te haal (in order to catch up the backlog).

4. At the front. The ten einde clause can come first. It then counts as the first element, so the verb of the main clause comes next: Ten einde tyd te bespaar, sal ons dit later bespreek. This follows the same rule as a subordinate clause first.

5. Where you meet it. Notices, reports, minutes, legal texts and news reports. In a chat with friends, om ... te sounds natural and ten einde sounds stiff.

Spelling: write ten einde as two words. It is one of the old ten and ter phrases.

Examples (6)

  1. Die pad is gesluit ten einde herstelwerk te doen.

    The road has been closed in order to carry out repairs.

    Word by Word: The road is closed in-order-to repair-work to do.

  2. Die skool het nuwe reëls aanvaar ten einde leerders beter te beskerm.

    The school adopted new rules in order to protect learners better.

    Word by Word: The school has new rules accepted in-order-to learners better to protect.

  3. Ten einde tyd te bespaar, sal ons die tweede punt later bespreek.

    In order to save time, we will discuss the second point later.

    Word by Word: In-order-to time to save, will we the second point later discuss.

    The ten einde clause comes first, so sal comes before ons.

  4. Die maatskappy het sy pryse verlaag ten einde meer klante te lok.

    The company lowered its prices in order to attract more customers.

    Word by Word: The company has its prices lowered in-order-to more customers to attract.

  5. Die munisipaliteit het ekstra personeel aangestel ten einde die agterstand in te haal.

    The municipality appointed extra staff in order to clear the backlog.

    Word by Word: The municipality has extra staff appointed in-order-to the backlog in to catch.

    Inhaal is a separable verb, so te goes between in and haal.

  6. Die vergadering is uitgestel ten einde onnodige vertragings te voorkom.

    The meeting was postponed in order to prevent unnecessary delays.

    Word by Word: The meeting is postponed in-order-to unnecessary delays to prevent.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving out te.

    Ten einde tyd bespaar, sal ons dit later bespreek.
    Ten einde tyd te bespaar, sal ons dit later bespreek.

    Ten einde always needs te before the verb at the end, just like om ... te.

  • Putting the subject before the verb after a fronted ten einde clause.

    Ten einde tyd te bespaar, ons sal dit later bespreek.
    Ten einde tyd te bespaar, sal ons dit later bespreek.

    The whole ten einde clause is the first element of the sentence, so the verb sal must come second, before the subject ons.

  • Putting te in front of a separable verb.

    Hulle het personeel aangestel ten einde die agterstand te inhaal.
    Hulle het personeel aangestel ten einde die agterstand in te haal.

    With a separable verb, te goes between the prefix and the verb: in te haal.

How It Connects

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

ten einde ... teLevel 5In Order to (Formal): Ten Einde

Learn This First

Ten einde ... te is a formal form of om ... te.

Words in This Pattern

eindete