Breakdown of De vulkaan dreigt uit te barsten.
te
to (infinitive marker)
de vulkaan
the volcano
dreigen
to threaten (to do something) / to be at risk of
uitbarsten
to erupt
Questions & Answers about De vulkaan dreigt uit te barsten.
Does dreigt mean the volcano is literally making a threat?
No. Here, dreigen te acts as an auxiliary of imminence. It indicates that something (usually negative) is at risk of happening or on the verge of happening. English does something similar when we say the sky 'threatens to rain.'
Why is te placed in the middle of uit te barsten?
The infinitive for 'to erupt' is uitbarsten, which is a separable verb. Whenever a separable verb is used in a te + infinitive construction, the te must go between the prefix (uit) and the verb stem (barsten). Notice that they are written as three separate words.
The lesson also teaches beloven te. Could we say De vulkaan belooft uit te barsten?
You could, but it would sound very strange. Beloven te (promises to / is likely to) is used when the impending event is positive or neutral. Because a volcanic eruption is a disaster, dreigen te is the right choice to convey the looming danger.
How does this differ from saying De vulkaan is aan het uitbarsten?
De vulkaan is aan het uitbarsten uses the continuous aspect, meaning the eruption is already happening right now. Using dreigt te makes it clear that the eruption hasn't started yet, but the danger is imminent.