om te + Infinitive
In Order to
The Dutch 'om te' construction is the equivalent of the English 'in order to'. It consists of the word 'om', followed by objects or adverbs, and ends with 'te' plus the infinitive verb.
How It Works
The om te + infinitive construction is a 'shortened clause' (beknopte bijzin) in Dutch. It is essential to become proficient in this structure for natural communication.
1. Expressing Purpose and Degree
Dutch requires om when expressing a goal ('in order to') or degree:
- Purpose: Ik bel om een afspraak te maken.
- Too/Enough: Used with te + adjective or genoeg. Example: Hij is sterk genoeg om de doos te tillen.
2. Evaluative Adjectives and Nouns
In standard Dutch, om is usually used after adjectives that give an opinion (leuk, moeilijk, fijn) or specific nouns (tijd, zin, plan):
- Het is belangrijk om gezond te eten.
- Ik heb geen tijd om te wachten.
3. Word Order and Separable Verbs
The word om starts the phrase, and te + infinitive ends it. Objects and adverbs go inside this 'bracket'. For separable verbs, te goes between the prefix and the stem (e.g., op te bellen).
4. When NOT to use 'om'
It is important to know when om is forbidden:
- Modal Verbs: Verbs like kunnen, moeten, and willen take a bare infinitive.
- Fixed 'te' Verbs: Verbs like schijnen, lijken, blijken, and hoeven require te but never allow om.
- Positional Verbs: When staan, liggen, zitten, or lopen are used to describe a continuous action, they take te but strictly forbid om.
- Verbs of Motion/Perception: gaan, komen, and zien/horen take a bare infinitive.
5. Nuance with Governing Verbs
After verbs like beloven or proberen, plain te is the neutral default. You can add om, but doing so adds a specific 'flavor' of purpose or strong intention to the sentence.
Examples (6)
- Hij spaart geld om een nieuwe auto te kopen.
He is saving money in order to buy a new car.
Word by Word: He saves money for a new car to buy.
Here, 'om... te kopen' expresses the purpose of saving money. Note how the object 'een nieuwe auto' sits between 'om' and 'te'.
- Het is te warm om buiten te werken.
It is too warm to work outside.
Word by Word: It is too warm for outside to work.
When using 'te' (too) with an adjective, 'om... te' is used to show the result or limitation.
- Ik heb geen zin om vanavond uit te gaan.
I don't feel like going out tonight.
Word by Word: I have no sense for tonight out to go.
The noun 'zin' (desire/feeling like) is followed by 'om te'. Note the separable verb 'uitgaan' becomes 'uit te gaan'.
- Het is leuk om je weer te zien.
It is nice to see you again.
Word by Word: It is nice for you again to see.
Evaluative adjectives like 'leuk', 'moeilijk', or 'belangrijk' usually take the 'om te' construction in standard Dutch, although 'om' is sometimes left out.
- Hij is oud genoeg om alleen te reizen.
He is old enough to travel alone.
Word by Word: He is old enough for alone to travel.
The word 'genoeg' (enough) requires the 'om te' construction to complete the thought.
- Ik probeer minder suiker te eten.
I am trying to eat less sugar.
Word by Word: I try less sugar to eat.
After verbs like 'proberen', plain 'te' is the neutral default. Adding 'om' would add a specific emphasis on the intention.
Common Mistakes
Dropping 'om' when expressing purpose.
Ik ga naar de keuken koffie te maken.Ik ga naar de keuken om koffie te maken.In English, you can just say 'to make coffee', but in Dutch, you must include 'om' to indicate purpose.
Incorrect word order with the infinitive.
Ik ben hier om te kopen brood.Ik ben hier om brood te kopen.The infinitive must always be the very last word in the 'om te' clause. Objects like 'brood' must come before 'te'.
Misplacing 'te' with separable verbs.
Het is tijd om te opstaan.Het is tijd om op te staan.For separable verbs, 'te' must split the prefix (op) and the verb (staan).
How It Connects
Learn This First
To learn 'om te + infinitive', you need to be comfortable with Dutch verb placement, specifically how infinitives are pushed to the end of the clause. You also need to recognize the infinitive form of verbs and understand how Dutch uses specific particles like 'om' to indicate purpose or intent.
- Modal Verb Construction
Understanding how infinitives are placed at the end of a sentence is crucial for the 'om te + infinitive' structure.
Level 1 - voorFor/Before
The preposition 'voor' is often used to express purpose, and understanding prepositions helps contextualize 'om' in this construction.
Level 1
Related Patterns
- te + InfinitiveTo + Infinitive
Many verbs use 'te + infinitive' without 'om'. 'Om' is specifically for purpose, result, or specific nouns/adjectives.
Level 3 - zonder teWithout -ing
A similar construction used to mean 'without ...ing'.
Level 3 - door teBy -ing
A related construction used to mean 'by ...ing'.
Level 3 - in plaats van teInstead of -ing
A related construction used to mean 'instead of ...ing'.
Level 3 - te + Adjective + om te + InfinitiveToo...to
A specific use of this pattern to express that something is 'too [adjective] to [verb]'.
Level 4 - genoeg om teEnough to
Used to express that something is 'enough to' perform an action.
Level 4
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice om te + Infinitive in Bubblegum
Poppy, your AI tutor, writes Dutch lessons at your level. Tap any grammar point in a lesson to see its full explanation.
