De trein komt straks aan.

De trein komt straks aan.
The train arrives soon.

Breakdown of De trein komt straks aan.

straks
soon
de trein
the train
aankomen
to arrive
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Questions & Answers about De trein komt straks aan.

What does straks mean in this sentence?

straks is a time adverb meaning “in a little while” or “soon.” It refers to the near future—later today, but not immediately.

  • You could also encounter binnenkort, which similarly means “soon,” but straks often implies a shorter time span (minutes rather than hours).
Why is aan at the end of the sentence?

Because aankomen is a separable verb in Dutch. In main clauses:

  1. The finite part (komt) stays in second position.
  2. The prefix (aan) detaches and moves to the end.
    Compare:
    • Infinitive form: aankomen (“to arrive”)
    • Conjugated: Hij komt aan (“He arrives/arrives”)
How does the basic word order work here?

Dutch main clauses follow the “V2” rule: the finite verb is the second element. Everything else (subject, time adverb, object, etc.) can come before or after, but the verb stays second. In De trein komt straks aan:

  1. De trein (subject)
  2. komt (finite verb)
  3. straks (time adverb)
  4. aan (separable prefix)
Why is the present tense komt used to talk about a future event?
Like in English (“The train leaves tomorrow”), Dutch regularly uses the present tense for scheduled future events. It’s a neutral way to state timetables or plans without adding extra words.
What’s the difference between komen and aankomen?
  • komen = “to come” (general movement toward the speaker or a point)
  • aankomen = “to arrive” (emphasis on reaching a destination)

In our sentence, komt aan specifically means “arrives.”

Can I start the sentence with straks? How does that affect word order?

Yes. When you put a time adverb first, you trigger inversion: the finite verb comes next, then the subject, then the rest:

  • Straks komt de trein aan.
    Here straks (time) + komt (verb) + de trein (subject) + aan (prefix).
How would I turn this into a question like “When will the train arrive?”

Use the question word wanneer (“when”), then the finite verb, then subject and rest:

  • Wanneer komt de trein aan?
    This literally is “When comes the train arriving?”
How do you pronounce straks?

IPA: [strɑks]

  • s as in English s
  • tr as in English str
  • a is open, like the a in “father”
  • final ks like “x” in “box”

Put it all together quickly: “str-ahks.”