dreigen + te + Infinitive

Threaten to

Level 4

The Dutch construction dreigen te + infinitive is used to express that something negative is looming or about to happen. While it can mean a person is making a threat, it is most commonly used as an 'aspectual auxiliary' to describe impending risks like bad weather, economic crashes, or accidents.

How It Works

The structure follows the standard Dutch te + infinitive pattern.

1. Word Order:
In a main clause, the conjugated form of dreigen takes the second position, while the te + infinitive cluster moves to the very end of the sentence.

2. Separable Verbs:
If the main verb is a separable verb, the te is placed between the prefix and the root verb. For example, omvallen (to fall over) becomes om te vallen. This is the mandatory way to form the te-infinitive of a separable verb.

3. The 'Om' Restriction:
Unlike many other verbs that use om te, dreigen is almost never used with om. You should say het dreigt te mislukken, not het dreigt om te mislukken.

4. Nuance vs. Other Patterns:

  • Negative vs. Positive: Use dreigen te for disasters or negative outcomes. Use beloven te for positive predictions (e.g., 'It promises to be a nice day').
  • Imminence: While op het punt staan om te implies something will happen in seconds, dreigen te can describe a situation developing over hours or even weeks.

Examples (5)

  1. Het dreigt te gaan regenen.

    It looks like it's going to rain.

    Word by Word: It threatens to go rain.

    A very common way to describe impending bad weather.

  2. De oude muur dreigt om te vallen.

    The old wall is in danger of falling over.

    Word by Word: The old wall threatens around to fall.

    Notice how 'te' is placed inside the separable verb 'omvallen'.

  3. De inflatie dreigt de koopkracht aan te tasten.

    Inflation threatens to erode purchasing power.

    Word by Word: The inflation threatens the purchasing-power at to touch.

    This shows the pattern used in a formal or economic context.

  4. Hij dreigde de politie te bellen.

    He threatened to call the police.

    Word by Word: He threatened the police to call.

    This is the literal usage where a person makes a verbal threat.

  5. Het project dreigt te mislukken door een gebrek aan geld.

    The project is at risk of failing due to a lack of money.

    Word by Word: The project threatens to fail through a lack at money.

    Used here to describe a negative trend in a professional setting.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'om' before 'te' with 'dreigen'.

    Het dreigt om te gaan regenen.
    Het dreigt te gaan regenen.

    While many Dutch verbs allow or require 'om' in a om te + infinitive construction, 'dreigen' is an exception and should not be used with 'om'.

  • Using 'dreigen te' for positive outcomes.

    Het dreigt een mooie zomer te worden.
    Het belooft een mooie zomer te worden.

    'Dreigen' is only for negative things. For positive predictions, use beloven te (to promise).

  • Incorrect 'te' placement with separable verbs.

    De boom dreigt te omvallen.
    De boom dreigt om te vallen.

    With separable verbs, 'te' must go between the prefix and the verb stem. This is the mandatory word order.

How It Connects

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

dreigen + te + InfinitiveLevel 4Threaten to

Learn This First

To use 'dreigen te' (threaten to/be imminent), you need to understand the basic 'te + infinitive' structure and how to conjugate the main verb 'dreigen'. Knowledge of verb clusters is also important for correct word order when this pattern is used in more complex sentences.

Words in This Pattern

dreigente