Breakdown of Ik wil op tijd komen, daarvoor neem ik de trein.
ik
I
willen
to want
nemen
to take
de tijd
the time
op
on
komen
to come
de trein
the train
daarvoor
for that
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Questions & Answers about Ik wil op tijd komen, daarvoor neem ik de trein.
What is daarvoor, and what does it refer to in this sentence?
Daarvoor is a pronominal adverb made up of daar + voor, literally “for that.” It refers back to the idea in the first clause (Ik wil op tijd komen) and means “for that purpose” or “to achieve that.” In this sentence it signals that taking the train serves the goal of arriving on time.
Why is the verb placed before the subject in daarvoor neem ik de trein?
Dutch main clauses follow the V2 rule: the finite verb must be in the second position. When you front daarvoor (position 1), the verb neem moves into position 2, pushing the subject ik into position 3. If you instead start with the subject, you can say Ik neem daarvoor de trein without inversion.
What is the difference between daarvoor and daarom?
- daarom = “therefore,” focusing on result or conclusion
- daarvoor = “for that purpose,” focusing on intent or aim
In our example the emphasis is on the purpose (to arrive on time), so daarvoor is more precise. You could still say Ik wil op tijd komen, daarom neem ik de trein, but that sounds more like a general cause-and-effect statement.
Could I replace daarvoor with dus, and if so, what stays the same?
Yes. Dus (“so”/“thus”) is a common, slightly more informal connector.
Ik wil op tijd komen, dus neem ik de trein.
It keeps the same word order: conjunction in position 1, verb in position 2, subject in position 3.
Can I use omdat instead of daarvoor, and how would that affect the word order?
Using omdat makes the first clause subordinate:
Omdat ik op tijd wil komen, neem ik de trein.
Word‐order changes:
- omdat starts the dependent clause.
- The finite verb moves to the end of that clause: wil komen.
- The main clause follows, and since it has been displaced it begins with the verb neem, then the subject ik.
How can I rephrase this sentence using an om-infinitive purpose clause?
You can express purpose directly with om + infinitive:
Ik neem de trein om op tijd te komen.
Here om op tijd te komen means “in order to arrive on time,” and the infinitive komen goes to the end of that clause.
Why does Dutch often say neem de trein for “take the train”? Can I say ga met de trein?
Both are perfectly natural:
- neem de trein (“take the train”) emphasizes the action of catching or choosing the train.
- ga met de trein (“go by train”) emphasizes the mode of travel.
Choice is a matter of personal or regional style; neither option is wrong.