Breakdown of Ik spoorde mijn vriend aan om te solliciteren.
ik
I
de vriend
the friend
mijn
my
solliciteren
to apply
te
to (infinitive marker)
om
in order to
aansporen
to urge
Questions & Answers about Ik spoorde mijn vriend aan om te solliciteren.
How does this sentence form a reported request?
Verbs that express asking, telling, or urging someone to do something use an om te + infinitive clause. Here, the verb aansporen (to urge) pairs with om te solliciteren to show what the friend was urged to do.
Why is aan placed right before the om te clause?
The main verb here is the separable verb aansporen. In a main clause, its prefix (aan) moves to the end of that clause. The om te section starts a new subclause, so aan sits right at the boundary between the two.
Why doesn't the prefix aan go at the very end of the whole sentence, after solliciteren?
Separable prefixes only move to the end of their own clause. Because om te solliciteren is a separate infinitive clause, the main clause ends exactly at aan.
Does solliciteren mean "to apply" in all situations?
No, solliciteren is specifically used for applying for a job or a position. If you want to apply for a document like a visa or permit, you use aanvragen, and to apply a rule or a method, you use toepassen.
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