Breakdown of Zij gebruikt de stilte om zich te concentreren.
zij
she
gebruiken
to use
te
to (infinitive marker)
om
in order to
zich concentreren
to concentrate
de stilte
the silence
Questions & Answers about Zij gebruikt de stilte om zich te concentreren.
Why do we need the word zich here if the English translation doesn't say "herself"?
In Dutch, the verb for "to concentrate" is always reflexive: zich concentreren (literally "to concentrate oneself"). Since the person concentrating is zij (she), the reflexive pronoun must be zich.
Where exactly should the reflexive pronoun go in an om ... te clause?
It usually goes right after om. The basic structure for this is om + reflexive pronoun + te + infinitive verb. If there were extra details in this clause, like "to concentrate better", they would go between the reflexive pronoun and te (for example: om zich beter te concentreren).
Why do we use the om ... te structure here?
The om ... te structure translates to "in order to" in English. It is used to show the purpose or goal of an action. Here, it links the main action (using the silence) to her goal (concentrating).
Could I use ze instead of zij in this sentence?
Absolutely. Zij is the stressed form of "she", used here to put a little extra emphasis on the person (perhaps contrasting her with someone who studies with loud music). In a neutral context, ze is perfectly fine and more common.
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