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

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.”