Om...te Construction in Dutch

Overview

The om...te construction is one of the most common infinitive structures in Dutch, used primarily to express purpose -- the equivalent of "in order to" in English. When you say Ik ga naar de winkel om brood te kopen (I'm going to the shop to buy bread), the om...te clause explains why you are going.

Beyond purpose, this construction also appears after adjectives (moeilijk om te begrijpen -- difficult to understand) and with certain verbs and expressions that require om. Learning when to include om and when plain te + infinitive suffices is a key B1 skill.

If you have studied subordinate clause word order, you already know that Dutch pushes verbs to the end of dependent clauses. The om...te construction follows a similar principle: te + infinitive always come at the end of the clause.

How It Works

Basic Purpose Construction

Structure: main clause + om + (other elements) + te + infinitive

• Ik bel om een afspraak te maken. (I'm calling to make an appointment.)
• Hij spaart om een huis te kopen. (He's saving to buy a house.)

After Adjectives

Structure: het is + adjective + om + te + infinitive

• Het is moeilijk om Nederlands te leren. (It's difficult to learn Dutch.)
• Het is leuk om hier te zijn. (It's nice to be here.)
• Het is belangrijk om op tijd te komen. (It's important to come on time.)

With "te...om te" (too...to)

Structure: te + adjective + om + te + infinitive

• Zij is te moe om te werken. (She is too tired to work.)
• Het is te duur om te kopen. (It's too expensive to buy.)
• Hij is te jong om te rijden. (He is too young to drive.)

With "(genoeg) om te" (enough to)

• Hij is oud genoeg om te stemmen. (He is old enough to vote.)
• Ze heeft genoeg geld om het te betalen. (She has enough money to pay for it.)

With Separable Verbs

When a separable verb appears in the om...te construction, te is inserted between the prefix and the verb stem:

• opbellen → om op te bellen (to call)
• meenemen → om mee te nemen (to take along)
• aankomen → om aan te komen (to arrive)

When Is Om Optional?

After some adjectives and in some purpose clauses, om can be dropped, leaving just te + infinitive. However, including om is always correct and often clearer:

• Het is moeilijk (om) te begrijpen. -- both are correct
• For clear purpose clauses, om is preferred: Ik ga naar buiten om te wandelen.

Examples in Context

Dutch	English	Note
Ik ga naar de winkel om brood te kopen.	I'm going to the shop to buy bread.	Purpose
Het is moeilijk om te begrijpen.	It's difficult to understand.	After adjective
Hij vraagt om te mogen gaan.	He asks to be allowed to go.	With verb + om
Zij is te moe om te werken.	She is too tired to work.	te...om te
We zijn hier om je te helpen.	We are here to help you.	Purpose
Het is tijd om te gaan.	It's time to go.	Fixed expression
Ik heb een reden om boos te zijn.	I have a reason to be angry.	Purpose/reason
Ze doet haar best om alles op te ruimen.	She does her best to tidy everything up.	Separable verb
Hij is sterk genoeg om het te dragen.	He is strong enough to carry it.	genoeg om te
Om eerlijk te zijn, ik weet het niet.	To be honest, I don't know.	Set phrase
Het is niet makkelijk om een baan te vinden.	It's not easy to find a job.	After adjective

Common Mistakes

Forgetting te before the infinitive

• Wrong: Ik ga naar de winkel om brood kopen.
• Right: Ik ga naar de winkel om brood te kopen.
• Why: The te is mandatory before the infinitive in this construction. It is the Dutch equivalent of English "to."

Wrong placement of te with separable verbs

• Wrong: ...om te opbellen
• Right: ...om op te bellen
• Why: With separable verbs, te goes between the prefix and the verb stem, not before the whole verb.

Using om...te where plain te suffices

• Wrong: Ik probeer om te het begrijpen.
• Right: Ik probeer het te begrijpen.
• Why: After verbs like proberen, beginnen, and vergeten, you typically use plain te + infinitive without om. The om...te construction is specifically for purpose, adjective complements, and verbs that govern om.

Putting words after the infinitive

• Wrong: ...om te kopen brood.
• Right: ...om brood te kopen.
• Why: The infinitive with te always comes at the end of the om-clause. All other elements (objects, adverbs) go between om and te + infinitive.

Usage Notes

The om...te construction is equally common in the Netherlands and Belgium. In spoken Dutch, the om is sometimes dropped in casual speech when the purpose meaning is clear from context, but including it is never wrong.

This construction is a hallmark of more complex Dutch and using it correctly signals that you are moving beyond basic sentence patterns.

Practice Tips

• Write ten sentences about your daily routine using om...te for purpose: why you do each activity. For example: Ik zet koffie om wakker te worden. (I make coffee to wake up.)
• Practice separable verbs in the om...te construction by making a list of five separable verbs and using each in a purpose clause.
• When reading Dutch, highlight every om...te construction you find and categorize it: purpose, after adjective, or te...om te.

Related Concepts

• Prerequisite: Subordinate Clause Word Order -- understanding verb-final word order is essential for placing te + infinitive correctly