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### The Dummy Subject "Het"

In English, we often start a sentence with a placeholder "it" for general statements ("It is important..."). Dutch uses **het** the exact same way.

To specify *what* is important, add an infinitive clause using **om ... te** (to). The word **om** introduces the clause, and **te** goes immediately before the infinitive verb at the end of the sentence. Everything else goes in between.

{{item:802614}}

{{item:802618}}

Notice the pattern: **om** + [object/details] + **te** + [infinitive]. 

You can pack as many details as you need into the middle. The infinitive and **te** will always be pushed to the very end.

{{item:802621}}

{{item:802625}}

This structure can also be used in compound sentences, like when giving a reason with **want** (because).

{{item:802624}}

Dummy subject with infinitives (het is ... om te)

adjective

adverb

conjunction

determiner

determiner/pronoun

interjection

noun

numeral

particle

preposition

pronoun

sentence

verb

Singular pronouns and 'to be' (ik ben, hij is)

The formal 'you' (u bent)

Definite articles (de, het)

Plural pronouns and 'to be' (wij zijn)

The verb 'to have' (hebben)

Basic word order

Numbers 1 to 10 (een, twee, drie)

Verb stems and the 'I' form (ik werk)

Long vowels in verb stems (maken, ik maak)

Short vowels in verb stems (zitten, ik zit)

Present tense singular (-t)

Present tense plural (-en)

Yes/no questions

Question words (wie, wat, waar)

Noun negation (geen)

Plural nouns (-en)

Plural nouns (-s)

Diminutives (-je)

Adjective modifiers (heel, erg, te)

Verb negation (niet)

Singular possessives (mijn, jouw, zijn, haar)

Plural and formal possessives (ons/onze, jullie, hun, uw)

This and these (deze, dit)

That and those (die, dat)

Asking which (welke, welk)

Numbers 11 to 20 (elf, twaalf, dertien...)

Tens and compound numbers (dertig, veertig...)

Ordinal numbers 1st to 10th (eerste, tweede...)

Telling time: hours and half hours (uur, half)

Telling time: quarters (kwart over, kwart voor)

Question words (hoeveel, waarom)

Irregular verbs (doen, gaan, staan, zien, komen)

Adjective endings (+e)

Adjectives with 'het' words

Prepositions of place (uit, bij)

Subject-verb inversion

Time before place

Modal verbs (willen, kunnen)

Modal verbs (moeten, mogen)

The verb bracket

Separable prefix verbs

The imperative mood (kom, luister)

Singular object pronouns (mij, jou, hem, haar)

Plural and formal object pronouns (ons, jullie, hen, u)

Reflexive verbs and pronouns (zich, me, je)

Position of negation (niet)

The present perfect tense with regular verbs (hebben gewerkt)

The present perfect tense with motion verbs (zijn gegaan)

Irregular past participles (gezien, gedaan)

The present continuous (zijn aan het)

There is / there are (er is, er zijn)

Unstressed there (er)

And, but, or (en, maar, of)

Because (want)

Months of the year

Prepositions of time (om, van ... tot)

Greetings and politeness

Conversational glue

Prepositions with days (op)

Prepositions with seasons (in)

Genitive of time ('s morgens, 's nachts)

Adverbs of frequency (altijd, vaak)

The future tense (gaan)

The future tense (zullen)

Separable verbs with auxiliary verbs

Apostrophe plurals ('-s)

Irregular plurals (-eren)

Complex diminutives (-pje, -etje, -kje)

Possessive 's (Jan's, vaders)

Indefinite pronouns (iets, niemand, alles)

Indefinite subject pronoun (je)

Reciprocal pronoun (elkaar)

Comparative adjectives (-er dan)

Comparatives with spelling change (-der)

Superlative adjectives (-st)

Irregular comparisons (beter, meer, minder)

Expressing preference (graag, liever, het liefst)

Equality comparisons (even ... als)

Fixed prepositions

That clauses (dat)

Because clauses (omdat)

If and when clauses (als)

Inversion after clauses

Separable verbs in clauses

Negation in clauses (niet)

Past tense of to be (was / waren)

Past tense of to have (had / hadden)

Question	Answer
impossible	onmogelijk
the substance	de stof
to analyze	analyseren
It is impossible to analyze the substance.	Het is onmogelijk om de stof te analyseren.
necessary	noodzakelijk
the experiment	de proef
to repeat	herhalen
It is necessary to repeat the experiment.	Het is noodzakelijk om de proef te herhalen.
the laboratory	het laboratorium
to measure	meten
It is dangerous to measure something new in the laboratory.	Het is gevaarlijk om iets nieuws in het laboratorium te meten.
the scientist	de wetenschapper
the effect	het effect
The scientist had analyzed the substance, because it is important to measure the effect.	De wetenschapper had de stof geanalyseerd, want het is belangrijk om het effect te meten.
It is difficult to analyze the effect of the new substance.	Het is moeilijk om het effect van de nieuwe stof te analyseren.
It is possible to repeat the experiment tomorrow in the laboratory.	Het is mogelijk om de proef morgen in het laboratorium te herhalen.
The scientists had measured nothing dangerous.	De wetenschappers hadden niets gevaarlijks gemeten.
It is interesting to analyze the result of the experiment.	Het is interessant om het resultaat van de proef te analyseren.
It is easy to measure the effect, unless the laboratory is closed.	Het is makkelijk om het effect te meten, tenzij het laboratorium dicht is.
The scientist had already analyzed the new substance today.	De wetenschapper had de nieuwe stof vandaag al geanalyseerd.
It is tricky to measure the substance without a laboratory.	Het is lastig om de stof zonder laboratorium te meten.
It is boring to repeat the experiment often.	Het is saai om de proef vaak te herhalen.
It is impossible to analyze the substance, but it is necessary.	Het is onmogelijk om de stof te analyseren, maar het is noodzakelijk.