The Infinitive in Afrikaans: om te – part 3 (when not to use om te)
📘 Who this is for: CAPS, IEB, Cambridge students (FAL and SAL Grades
7–12) and adult Afrikaans learners.
There are some occasions in Afrikaans when you might think you need to use "om te," but shouldn't. In this lesson you will learn where not to use "om te" in Afrikaans even if it might feel like you should.
Don't use the infinitive with these Afrikaans verbs.
There are a few Afrikaans verbs that don't get the words "om te" directly after them even if it feels like they should.wil (want)
kan (can)
moet (must)
sal (will)
mag (may)
English speakers might feel comfortable with most of these since they don't get a "to" in English either. The only exception is "wil," because "want" can be used with a "to" after it in English.
Example 1
I want to sing.
Ek wil sing.
Even tough the English sentence gets a "to" the Afrikaans sentence does not get a "om te" because the verb "wil" is used.
Example 2
I must sing.
Ek moet sing.
In both of these sentences the words "must" and "moet" are both used without "to" or "om te." This would feel more natural to an English speaker since the rules are similar here.
Using "om te" with these Afrikaans verbs
Even though you can't use "om te" directly after these verbs, you can still use it later in the sentence.
Example 3
I want to buy a present to give to my mother.
Ek wil 'n persent koop om vir my ma te gee.
In the English sentence we see that "to" is used twice. Once after "want" and once later in the sentence. But in the Afrikaans sentence "om te" is not used directly after "wil," but it is used later in the sentence.
When to use the word "toe" in Afrikaans
In English the word "to" has two uses. It can be used as part of the infinitive or it can be used to show direction: "I am going to school." Afrikaans does not use "om te" when showing direction. it uses the word "toe."
Unlike the English "to," "toe" is placed after the place you are going.
Examples 1
I am going to the shop.
Here "to" shows us where you are going it is not an infinitive.
Ek gaan winkel toe.
"Toe" is used here to show direction. "Toe" is placed after ''winkel'' in this sentence, because it goes after the place you are going.
Examples 2
I am going to school to learn.
In this sentence the first "to" is not part of an infinitive (it shows us where you are going). The second "to" is part of the infinitive.
Ek gaan skool toe om te leer.
"Toe" is used in the sentence In this sentence. "Toe" goes after "skool" because "toe" goes after the place you are going. "Om te" is used at the end of the sentence because that is an infinitive and does not show the direction you are going in.
Click the following link to go to the next lesson:
The infinitive in Afrikaans: om te – part 4 (om and te on their own)
wil (want)
kan (can)
moet (must)
sal (will)
mag (may)
English speakers might feel comfortable with most of these since they don't get a "to" in English either. The only exception is "wil," because "want" can be used with a "to" after it in English.
Example 1
I want to sing.
Ek wil sing.
Even tough the English sentence gets a "to" the Afrikaans sentence does not get a "om te" because the verb "wil" is used.
Example 2
I must sing.
Ek moet sing.
In both of these sentences the words "must" and "moet" are both used without "to" or "om te." This would feel more natural to an English speaker since the rules are similar here.
Using "om te" with these Afrikaans verbs
Even though you can't use "om te" directly after these verbs, you can still use it later in the sentence.
Example 3
I want to buy a present to give to my mother.
Ek wil 'n persent koop om vir my ma te gee.
In the English sentence we see that "to" is used twice. Once after "want" and once later in the sentence. But in the Afrikaans sentence "om te" is not used directly after "wil," but it is used later in the sentence.
When to use the word "toe" in Afrikaans
In English the word "to" has two uses. It can be used as part of the infinitive or it can be used to show direction: "I am going to school." Afrikaans does not use "om te" when showing direction. it uses the word "toe."
Unlike the English "to," "toe" is placed after the place you are going.
Examples 1
I am going to the shop.
Here "to" shows us where you are going it is not an infinitive.
Ek gaan winkel toe.
"Toe" is used here to show direction. "Toe" is placed after ''winkel'' in this sentence, because it goes after the place you are going.
Examples 2
I am going to school to learn.
In this sentence the first "to" is not part of an infinitive (it shows us where you are going). The second "to" is part of the infinitive.
Ek gaan skool toe om te leer.
"Toe" is used in the sentence In this sentence. "Toe" goes after "skool" because "toe" goes after the place you are going. "Om te" is used at the end of the sentence because that is an infinitive and does not show the direction you are going in.
Click the following link to go to the next lesson:
The infinitive in Afrikaans: om te – part 4 (om and te on their own)
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References.
Lutrin, B. (1999). Afrikaans handbook & study guide: An English student’s guide to Afrikaans. Sandton: Berlut Books.
de Jonge, A. (n.d.). Leer Afrikaans sonder om jou rieme styf te loop. Graffiti Boeke.
De Klerk, P. F., Esterhuizen, B. J., Hammann, H. J. R., & Neethling, E. L. (1986). Afrikaans my taal. Maskew Miller Longman.
Nel, M. (2019). Afrikaans+: Everything you need to obtain top marks. LAPA Uitgewers.
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