Learn Hardcore Dutch: Ik draai de kraan dicht om water te besparen.

In Dutch, many verbs are separable. dichtdraaien (“to turn off/close by turning”) splits into a stem (draai) that goes in the normal verb position (#2 in a main clause) and a prefix (dicht) that moves to the very end. The object (de kraan) stays between them: Ik (draai) de kraan (dicht).

What’s the role of the clause om water te besparen?

That’s a purpose clause introduced by om … te (“in order to …”). It tells you why you’re closing the tap: “in order to save water.” In Dutch main clauses, these infinitive clauses normally come at the end.

Why isn’t there an article before water?

Here water is uncountable and used in a general sense (“water in general”). Uncountable nouns often appear without de/het. If you meant “the water” (e.g. the water in this bottle), you’d say het water.

Could you use omdat instead of om here?

No. omdat means “because” and introduces a reason or cause. om … te expresses purpose (“in order to”). If you used omdat, you’d get a causal sentence:
Ik draai de kraan dicht omdat ik water wil besparen.
(= “I’m closing the tap because I want to save water,” not “in order to save water.”)

Is besparen separable like dichtdraaien?

No. besparen is an inseparable verb (“to save, economize”). It never splits, so even in main clauses it stays intact:
– Ik wil water besparen.
– Omdat ik water wil besparen …

How do you pronounce kraan?

kraan is pronounced /kraːn/. The double aa signals a long open a sound, similar to “ah” in English but held a bit longer.

Can I say sluiten instead of draaien here?

Yes. de kraan dichtdraaien is very common, but you can also use de kraan sluiten (“to close the tap”). Both are correct:
– Ik draai de kraan dicht om water te besparen.
– Ik sluit de kraan om water te besparen.