Breakdown of Hij probeert de verleiding te weerstaan, om vervolgens toch alles te kopen.
hij
he / it (referring to a 'de'-word)
kopen
to buy
proberen
to try
toch
still, anyway (particle) / right? (question tag)
Questions & Answers about Hij probeert de verleiding te weerstaan, om vervolgens toch alles te kopen.
How does om vervolgens create the 'only to' meaning here?
Normally, the om ... te structure expresses a purpose, like 'in order to'. But by adding vervolgens (which means 'subsequently'), the phrase om vervolgens ... te shifts to expressing an unexpected or ironic sequence of events. It perfectly captures the English narrative twist of doing one thing 'only to' immediately do the opposite.
Why are words like toch and alles placed where they are in the second half of the sentence?
In any om ... te construction, all the extra information (like objects and adverbs) must be sandwiched between om and the te + infinitive at the very end. That is why vervolgens, toch, and alles all appear before te kopen.
What nuance does toch add to this sentence?
Here, toch translates to 'anyway' or 'nevertheless'. While om vervolgens already shows a surprising sequence of events, adding toch emphasizes the failure of his attempt: he tried to resist, but he bought everything anyway.
Is weerstaan a separable verb?