The prepositions _om_, [door, na, alvorens, in plaats van, and zonder](#/lesson/Verbs.Au12) can mark the beginning of a short subclause. If they do, the subclause always contains a "te + infinitive" construction. You can read more about this under [short subclauses](#/lesson/WordOrder.62).
Om
'Om' means 'in order to' or 'for'. It receives special attention here because there are a few verbs where we can omit 'om'. Instead of "Ik probeer _om_ te slapen" (I try to sleep), we can also say "Ik probeer te slapen" (again: I try to sleep). 'Proberen' now looks like an 'infinitive + te' verb but it really is a an om-construction in disguise.
The disguised om-verbs are listed below. They all have something to do with a wish, desire, or command. Note that you can only omit 'om' when it is preceded by one of the verbs in the list below.
aanmoedigen
_to encourage_ | Ze werden aangemoedigd ~~om~~ gezonder te gaan leven. | They were encouraged to live a healthier life.
bedoelen
_to intend_ | Ik bedoelde ~~om~~ iets heel anders te zeggen. | I meant to say something completely different.
beloven
_to promise_ | Hij belooft ~~om~~ vanaf nu op tijd te komen. | He promises to be on time from now on.
bevelen
_to command_ | Ze beval hun ~~om~~ naar haar kantoor te komen. | She ordered them to come to her office.
opdragen
_to command_ | Ze dragen je op ~~om~~ langer te blijven. | They tell (order) you to stay longer.
proberen
_to try_ | Ik probeer ~~om~~ zonder wekker wakker te worden. | I try to wake up without an alarm-clock.
streven
_to strive, aim_ | We streven ernaar ~~om~~ alle zwerfkatten een huis te geven. | We try (have the ambition) to give all straycats a home.
verlangen
_to desire_ | Ze verlangden ernaar ~~om~~ terug naar huis te gaan. | They longed (for it) to go home.
verzoeken
_to request_ | Mag ik jullie verzoeken ~~om~~ jullie voeten van tafel te halen? | May I ask you to take your feet of the table?
vragen om
_to ask for_ | Ze vroegen je ~~om~~ mee te komen. | They asked you to come along.
wensen
_to wish, prefer_ | De premier wenst ~~om~~ niet te komen. | The prime minister prefers not to come.
Notes:
- _Beloven_ and _wensen_ are also [_'dat_ verbs'](#/lesson/Verbs.Au10).
\\* _Vragen_ is mentioned with the preposition _om_ because there are several other combinations possible: _vragen naar_ and _vragen aan_ do not mean the same as _vragen om_. See also the [phrasal verbs list](#/lesson/Verbs.Pr01).
_Om_-verbs in the perfect tense
Because the verbs that follows after -often invisible- om are situated in a short subclause, the past participle in the main clause does not turn into an infinitive. Because dat-verbs are subject to the same principle, see [dat-verbs](#/lesson/Verbs.Au10) in the perfect tense for more information.
Ze had hun bevolen ~~om~~ naar haar kantoor te komen. | She had ordered them to come to her office.
Ik heb geprobeerd ~~om~~ zonder wekker wakker te worden. | I have tried to wake up without an alarm-clock.
We hebben ernaar\* gestreefd ~~om~~ alle zwerfkatten een huis te geven. | We have tried (aimed) to give all straycats a home.
Ze hebben jullie gevraagd ~~om~~ mee te komen. | They have asked you to come along.
Note:
- _Ernaar_ is a [pronominal adverb](#/lesson/Pronouns.Ad02): _naar het_ turns into _ernaar_. So why do we use _er_ here? A preposition (in thise case, _naar_) needs to be followed by an object. Because _streven naar_ requires an object within the same clause, we use a provisional _er_. The 'real' object is the entire subclause "(om) alle zwerfkatten een thuis te geven."