Learn Hardcore Dutch: Het streven om elke dag te oefenen is belangrijk. - The aim to practice every day is important.

Streven is a noun derived from the verb streven (“to strive”). It means “(the) striving” or “(the) effort.” In the sentence, het streven is the subject: The striving (to practice every day) is important.

Why is het used before streven?

In Dutch, nouns are either common-gender (use de) or neuter-gender (use het). Abstract nouns like streven are neuter, so they take the definite article het. Hence het streven (“the effort/striving”).

Why do we use om… te oefenen instead of some other structure?

Dutch expresses purpose or a noun-complement infinitive with a two-part infinitive clause:
• om = subordinating conjunction (“in order to”)
• te = infinitive marker before the main verb
Together om elke dag te oefenen means “in order to practice every day.”

Why do we need both om and te? Aren’t they both “to”?

They have different grammatical roles:
• om introduces the purpose clause
• te marks the infinitive of the verb oefenen
Dutch requires both in such clauses: om… te + infinitive.

Can I say dagelijks oefenen instead of elke dag te oefenen?

Yes. dagelijks is an adverb meaning “daily.” You could rephrase to:
Het streven om dagelijks te oefenen is belangrijk.
Note that te still precedes oefenen even if you use dagelijks.

Is there a difference between elke dag and iedere dag?

They are synonyms and interchangeable in most contexts:
• elke dag – more conversational
• iedere dag – slightly more formal or emphatic
Both mean “every day.”

Why is belangrijk not belangrijke here?

Belangrijk is used predicatively (after the linking verb is). Predicative adjectives in Dutch do not get an -e ending, regardless of gender or number.
Example: Het streven is belangrijk.

Why doesn’t the sentence start with Het is belangrijk om elke dag te oefenen instead?

You can say Het is belangrijk om elke dag te oefenen, but that makes the infinitive clause the main focus (the act of practicing). The original sentence makes het streven itself the subject and point of emphasis. It shifts the spotlight onto the striving rather than the act directly.

Why is the verb is placed after the entire subject, even though the subject is long?

In Dutch main clauses, the finite verb must occupy the second position. The whole noun phrase Het streven om elke dag te oefenen counts as one unit in the first position, so is correctly comes in second place.

Could I omit the article het before streven?

No. Here streven functions as a noun, so it needs its definite article het. Omitting it would leave you with an ungrammatical fragment.