Breakdown of De rechter eist van hem om de waarheid te vertellen.
vertellen
to tell
hem
him
de waarheid
the truth
van
from (possession, starting point) / made of
te
to (infinitive marker)
om
in order to
de rechter
the judge
eisen
to demand
Questions & Answers about De rechter eist van hem om de waarheid te vertellen.
How does this sentence show a reported command?
The verb eist (demands) reports the command. When you report what someone ordered or requested another person to do, Dutch often uses an om ... te clause. The full structure here is eisen van iemand om iets te doen (to demand of someone to do something).
Why does the sentence use van hem instead of just hem as the object?
The verb eisen (to demand) takes the preposition van (from/of) when you specify who is receiving the demand. In Dutch, you don't demand someone, you demand something from someone (eisen van).
Why is the word order om de waarheid te vertellen?
In an om ... te construction, the infinitive verb (vertellen) must go at the very end of the sentence or clause. Any objects or extra details—in this case, de waarheid (the truth)—are placed between om and te.
Could I report this command using a dat (that) clause instead?
Yes! You could also say De rechter eist van hem dat hij de waarheid vertelt. Using a dat clause means you have to introduce a new subject (hij) and conjugate the verb (vertelt). The om ... te structure used in the main sentence is often preferred because it is shorter and avoids repeating the pronoun.
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