Expressing Purpose with 'om ... te'
To state your goals or explain why you are doing something, use om ... te with an infinitive verb. This is the Dutch equivalent of "in order to".
om introduces the purpose clause. Any objects or details come next, and te + the infinitive verb go at the very end of the sentence.
| I often eat an apple to stay healthy. | Ik eet vaak een appel om gezond te blijven. |
| I run to get fit. | Ik ren om fit te worden. |
If the purpose clause includes objects (like je conditie or stress), they are placed between om and te.
| You must cycle to improve your stamina. | Je moet fietsen om je conditie te verbeteren. |
| He always sleeps a lot to avoid stress. | Hij slaapt altijd veel om stress te vermijden. |
Separable Verbs with 'te'
When using a separable verb—a verb with a detachable prefix, like afvallen (to lose weight)—te squeezes right between the prefix and the core verb. Instead of "te afvallen", it becomes af te vallen.
| I want to exercise more to lose weight. | Ik wil meer bewegen om af te vallen. |
| We are going to sleep early to rest. | Wij gaan vroeg slapen om uit te rusten. |
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