--- title: "Omdat or want: two ways to say because" level: A2 chapter: "Word order" canonical: https://www.dutchfluency.com/grammar/omdat-or-want updated: 2026-10-09 author: Dutch Fluency license: CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) --- # Omdat or want: two ways to say because Both _want_ and _omdat_ mean because. The difference is word order: after _want_ the sentence carries on as normal (_want ik heb honger_), while _omdat_ sends the verb to the end (_omdat ik honger heb_). Also, only _omdat_ lets you give the reason first. ## The pattern > After _want_, use normal word order, as in an ordinary sentence. After _omdat_, the conjugated verb (the form that changes with the subject, like _heb_ or _is_) goes to the end of the _omdat_ part. - _want_ + normal order: _want ik **heb** honger_. The verb is in second place, just as in _Ik heb honger_. - _omdat_ + verb at the end: _omdat ik honger **heb**_. With two verbs, both go to the end: _omdat ik de trein **heb gemist**_. - An _omdat_ clause (the part that starts with _omdat_) can come first: _Omdat ik honger heb, eet ik een appel._ The rest then starts with its verb (more in [When the subordinate clause comes first](https://www.dutchfluency.com/grammar/subclause-first)). A _want_ clause never comes before the part it explains. - In writing, a comma before _want_ is usual. Before _omdat_ it is optional. ## Examples | Ik eet een appel, **want ik heb honger**. | I'm eating an apple because I'm hungry. | | Ik eet een appel **omdat ik honger heb**. | I'm eating an apple because I'm hungry. | | **Omdat ik honger heb**, eet ik een appel. | Because I'm hungry, I'm eating an apple. | | Ik doe vandaag de boodschappen, **want morgen heb ik geen tijd**. | I'm doing the shopping today because I don't have time tomorrow. | | Daan gaat naar de huisarts, **want hij is al een week ziek**. | Daan is going to the GP because he has been ill for a week. | | Fatima is te laat **omdat ze de trein heeft gemist**. | Fatima is late because she missed the train. | | Ahmed belt de gemeente **omdat hij een nieuw paspoort nodig heeft**. | Ahmed is calling the municipality because he needs a new passport. | | **Omdat het regent**, neemt Sanne de bus. | Because it's raining, Sanne is taking the bus. | | Priya gaat vroeg slapen **omdat ze om zes uur opstaat**. | Priya goes to bed early because she gets up at six. | ## Why it works this way _Want_ is a linking word, like _en_ (and) and _maar_ (but): it joins two ordinary sentences and changes nothing (see En, maar, of, want, dus). Take _want_ away and a complete sentence remains: _Ik heb honger._ _Want_ does not even take up a place, so after it you can start with _morgen_ and use inversion (verb before subject): _want morgen heb ik geen tijd_. _Omdat_ starts a subordinate clause: a part of a sentence that cannot stand on its own. In those clauses Dutch puts the conjugated verb at the end (Subordinate clauses: the verb goes to the end). The clause is a closed package, so you can move it to the front. _Want_ is a bridge from one sentence to the next, so it only works after the first one. You may see _Want_ begin a new sentence as an afterthought (_Ik ga niet mee. Want ik ben moe._), but the reason still comes second. When the reason comes second, the two are usually interchangeable. One tendency: if the reason is evidence rather than a cause, speakers prefer _want_: _Joris is thuis, want zijn fiets staat voor de deur._ The bike is not why Joris is home; it is how you know. To answer _Waarom?_ with just the reason, the usual choice is _omdat_: _Omdat ik de bus heb gemist._ German speakers can map _want_ to "denn" and _omdat_ to "weil". Remember: _omdat_ ends in _dat_, and just like in _Ik denk dat Sanne ziek is_, the verb waits until the end. _Want_ is a bridge: put it between two normal sentences and change nothing. ## Watch out - Not: _Ik blijf thuis omdat ik ben ziek._ Say: _Ik blijf thuis omdat ik ziek ben._ (_omdat_ sends the verb to the end) - Not: _Ik eet niets, want ik geen honger heb._ Say: _Ik eet niets, want ik heb geen honger._ (_want_ keeps normal order) - Not: _Want het regent, ik neem de bus._ Say: _Omdat het regent, neem ik de bus._ (a _want_ reason cannot come first) - Not: _Omdat de winkel dicht is, wij gaan naar de markt._ Say: _Omdat de winkel dicht is, gaan wij naar de markt._ (after an _omdat_ clause, the verb comes right after the comma) - Not: _Ik ben moe omdat ik sta om zes uur op._ Say: _Ik ben moe omdat ik om zes uur opsta._ (at the end, _opstaan_ is one word again) ## Quick check 1. Choose the right ending: _Ik bel de huisarts, want ik ..._ (_ben ziek_ or _ziek ben_) 2. Fix the word order and keep _omdat_: _Lotte blijft thuis omdat ze is moe._ 3. Choose _want_ or _omdat_: _... het koud is, draagt Carlos een muts._ 4. Fill in the right form of _opstaan_: _Mei is moe omdat ze elke dag om zes uur ..._ ## Answers 1. _ben ziek_ (after _want_ the order stays normal, with the verb in second place) 2. _Lotte blijft thuis omdat ze moe is._ (_omdat_ sends _is_ to the end) 3. _Omdat_ (the verb _is_ is at the end, and a _want_ clause cannot come first) 4. _opstaat_ (at the end of an _omdat_ clause, _opstaan_ is one word again) ## Use it today Text a friend or colleague to move a plan, and give your reason twice: once with _want_ and once with _omdat_. For example: _Ik kom later, want de trein heeft vertraging._ and _Ik kom later omdat de trein vertraging heeft._ ## Questions learners ask **What is the difference between want and omdat in Dutch?** Both mean because. After want the word order stays normal (want ik ben moe), while omdat sends the conjugated verb to the end (omdat ik moe ben). **Can you start a Dutch sentence with omdat?** Yes. Put the omdat clause first, add a comma, and start the next part with the verb: Omdat het regent, neem ik de bus. A want clause cannot come before the sentence it explains. **Why does the verb go to the end after omdat?** Omdat starts a subordinate clause, a part of a sentence that cannot stand on its own, and Dutch puts the conjugated verb at the end of those clauses. Want only links two normal sentences, so it changes nothing about the word order. From the Dutch Fluency Grammar: https://www.dutchfluency.com/grammar. Shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.