Breakdown of Hij overtuigt de onderhandelaar om naar binnen te gaan.
hij
he / it (referring to a 'de'-word)
naar
to
gaan
to go / to go off (of an alarm)
binnen
inside
Questions & Answers about Hij overtuigt de onderhandelaar om naar binnen te gaan.
Who is the subject of te gaan, and how does that work in this sentence?
In this sentence, de onderhandelaar (the negotiator) is the one going inside. This is called an object control clause. The main verb overtuigen (to persuade) takes an object, and that object acts as the logical doer for the following om ... te infinitive clause.
Could we drop the word om in this sentence?
Yes, it is grammatically correct to say Hij overtuigt de onderhandelaar naar binnen te gaan. However, with verbs of persuading, ordering, or advising, adding om at the beginning of the infinitive clause is much more common and sounds more natural in everyday Dutch.
Why is the phrase naar binnen used instead of just binnen?
The word binnen usually refers to a static location (being inside). Because the negotiator is actively moving from the outside to the inside, Dutch requires the directional phrase naar binnen (literally moving towards the inside).
What dictates the word order in the phrase om naar binnen te gaan?
In an infinitive clause, the word om always acts as the anchor at the very beginning of the clause, while te plus the infinitive verb (te gaan) are pushed to the very end. Any other details, like the directional phrase naar binnen, must be sandwiched between them.