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Disambiguation: Many common Dutch words have more than one meaning.

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Disambiguation: Dutch 'Om' - Multiple Meanings and Related Words

Om

click to hear
  1. 'at' hours - "at midnight"
  2. (om ... te) 'to' with verb infinitive, 'for' with present participle
    - "to die for" - "crying to be heard"
  3. 'about,' 'because of,' 'for' - "It's not about money"
  4. 'around' - "trees around the house"
  5. 'alternating' - "every other day"
  6. various
1. om = at (hours)
other 'time' prepositions
2. om te = to (with verb infinitve) - om te = for (with present participle)
3. om = about, because, for (giving a reason)
gaan om = to be about

omgaan = to circulate - omgaan met = to handle // to meet

omdat = because
waarom = why
daarom = that's why
4. om = around -or- a turnaround - and compound words
5. om = alternating, 'every other'
6. om - various other meanings

1. 'om' = 'at' (hours)

Om acht uur click to hear 2 At 8 (o'clock)
Om acht uur precies click to hear 2 At 8 o'clock sharp
Om ongeveer vier uur click to hear At about 4 (o'clock)
We komen om vier uur aan click to hear 2 We'll arrive at 4
Ik ga om acht uur weg click to hear 2 3 I'm [going away] leaving at 8
Ik moet om acht uur weg click to hear 2 I have to leave at 8
We gaan om zes uur weg click to hear We're leaving at 6
't Is om zes uur click to hear 2 It is at 6 (event etc.)
't Begint om negen uur click to hear It starts at 9
Ik heb een afspraak om acht uur click to hear 2 3 I have an 8 o'clock appointment
Om elf uur viel ik in slaap click to hear 2 I fell asleep at 11
Ik werd om vier uur wakker click to hear I woke up at 4
Ik ben om zes uur opgestaan click to hear 2 I got up at 6
Ik ga meestal om half elf naar bed click to hear 2 I usually go to bed at 10:30
Ik probeer om tien uur in bed te liggen click to hear 2 I try to be (lying) in bed by 10
Kun je me om zeven uur wakker maken? click to hear 2 3 Could you (please) wake me up at 7
De volgende trein gaat om half twaalf click to hear 2 The next train [goes, leaves] is at 11:30
De laatste trein gaat om tien over twaalf click to hear 2 3 The last train is at 10 past 12
't Was alsof de zon om middernacht opkwam click to hear It was as if the sun came up at midnight
Ik moet om acht uur op m'n werk zijn click to hear 2 3 I have to be at work at 8 (at the place where I work, 'on the job')

Synomyms, Alternates and Related Words

Other time units may use other prepositions. See also: Time Thesaurus
Op zondag gesloten click to hear 2 Closed on Sundays
Wat doe je met Pasen? click to hear 2 3 What are you going to do over the Easter Holiday?
Hij is op 2 maart jarig click to hear 2 3 4 His birthday is March 2nd
In augustus 1914 click to hear 2 In August 1914
Nederland werd een koninkrijk in 1813 click to hear Holland became a kingdom in 1813

2. 'om ... te' click to hear = 'to' (with verb infinitive) / 'for' (with present participle)

- reason for, aim or purpose, because of, in order to, with the intention ...
Om te beginnen ... click to hear 2 To start with ..., For starters ...
Om 't af te leren click to hear 2 3 'to unlearn it,' 'to break the habit' - said when you take one too many drinks or snacks
Om van 't gezeur af te zijn click to hear 2 To be done with the nagging, to get rid of the hassle, the pointless, annoying talk
Drinken om te vergeten click to hear 2 3 Drinking (alcohol) to forget
Om precies te zijn ... click to hear 2 To be exact ...
Te dom om voor de duivel te dansen click to hear 2 Too stupid to dance for the devil
Iets om naar uit te kijken click to hear 2 Something to look forward to
Iets om over te praten click to hear 2 Something to talk about
Dingen om over te praten click to hear 2 Things to talk about
Het is geen schande om arm te zijn click to hear 2 It's not shameful to be poor (being poor is no disgrace)
Het is niet om te lachen click to hear 2 3 4 [It's not to laugh about, it's not for laughing] - It's no laughing matter, it's not funny
t Is niet aan ons om te oordelen click to hear 2 3 4 It's not for (up to) us to judge
Hij was te klein om over de schutting te kijken click to hear 2 He was too small to look over the fence
Nederlands is een mooie taal ... click to hear Dutch is a beautiful language ...
... maar misschien niet om te zingen click to hear (2) ... but maybe not for singing
De beste plaats om Nederlands te leren click to hear The best place to learn Dutch, for learning Dutch
Wat bezielt die mensen om dat te doen? click to hear 2 3 What drives those people to do that?
Ik was van plan om het huis wit te verven click to hear I was planning to paint the house white
We zijn van plan om morgen weg te gaan click to hear We're planning to leave tomorrow
We waren van plan om weg te gaan click to hear We were planning to leave
Hij deed veel om de stad mooi te maken click to hear 2 He did much to beautify the town
Next to use similar to English 'to' with verb infinitives like in 'om te,' Dutch 'te' click to hear . can also mean 'too' - excessive, a high degree of
Het is te duur click to hear It's too expensive

3. 'om' = 'about,' '~because of,' 'for' - giving a reason

Veel gedoe om niks click to hear Much ado about nothing
De Slag om Arnhem click to hear 2 The Battle for Arnhem ->>
om een-of-andere reden click to hear 2 for one reason or another - on vague, questionable grounds
om gezondheidsredenen click to hear 2 for reasons of health, because of health concerns
Oog om oog, tand om tand click to hear 2 3 An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth (archaic justice)
Kom daar nou nog eens om! click to hear 2 [Come for that nowadays again] - It's not possible to find something like that anymore - an item or an attitude that went out of fashion
om den brode click to hear 2 [for the bread] - for the money, for a living

The Dutch verb 'gaan' click to hear ->> by itself means 'to go' but combined with various prepositions it takes on different meanings. 'Gaan om' means 'to be about' - 'that what is important,' while 'gaan over' is also translated as 'to be about' but then it is giving the subject of a book etc. See also: Disambiguation: Over and the gaan verb page

't Gaat om 't geld click to hear 2 It's about the money
't Gaat niet om 't geld click to hear It's not about the money
't Gaat wel om 't geld click to hear 2 It really is about the money ->>
Waar gaat 't om? click to hear 2 What is it about?
Dat is niet waar 't om gaat click to hear 2 That's not what it is about

But the compound verb omgaan click to hear 2 can mean 'to circulate,' "go 'round" and omgaan met click to hear 2 can mean 'to handle, deal with' but also something like 'to meet socially, spend time together'

Er gaat veel geld om click to hear 2 There's a lot of money [going 'round] in it
Hij kan niet met geld omgaan click to hear 2 3 He cannot handle, deal with money
Ze gaan veel met elkaar om click to hear 2 3 4 They're spending much time together, they're seeing a lot of each other

omdat click to hear because - more
Omdat er zoveel te zien was click to hear Because there was so much to see
Omdat ik Nederlands ben click to hear Because I am Dutch
Hij was blij omdat het mooi weer was click to hear He was glad because [it was nice weather] the weather was nice
Ik was kwaad omdat ik weer voor m'n rijexamen gezakt was click to hear 2 I was angry because I failed the driving test again
Omdat ik het zeg click to hear 2 3 4 Because I say [it] so (an authoritarian statement)
Omdat het niet anders kan click to hear 2 3 [Because it can't be (done) differently] - Because there is no other way
(de) oorzaak click to hear cause
(het) gevolg click to hear effect

waarom? click to hear 2 what for? why?
Waarom zijn de bananen krom? click to hear 2 3 Why are bananas not straight?
Waarom ben je nu hier? click to hear Why are you here now?
Waarom ben je boos? click to hear Why are you angry?
Waarom doe je dat? click to hear 2 3 Why are you doing that?
vraag niet waarom click to hear Don't ask why
Waarom een Nederlander? click to hear Why a Dutchman?
Er is geen reden waarom hij niet zou kunnen winnen click to hear There's no reason he couldn't win
Waarom moet 't zo moeilijk zijn? click to hear 2 Why does it have to be so difficult?
Waarom kan 't niet gemakkelijk zijn? click to hear 2 Why can't it be easy?
daarom click to hear 2 that's why, because of that
Waarom? Daarom! click to hear Why? [That's why!] Because!
... en daarom ben ik weggegaan click to hear 2 3 .. and that's why I left
... en daarom wil ik geen elektrische fiets click to hear 2 3 ... and because of that I don't want an electric bicycle

4. 'om' = 'around' -or- 'a turnaround'

Bomen om het huis click to hear Trees around the house
Om de hoek click to hear 2 3 Around the corner
Ik ga even een blokje om click to hear 2 I'm going for a little walk around the block
Alles om me heen lijkt zo langzaam, alsof ìk in een hogere versnelling zit click to hear Everything around me looks so slow, as if I am in higher gear
Kijk om je heen! click to hear 2 Look around you!
'om de Noord' click to hear 2 3 'around the North' - the search for a Northern sea route from Europe to Asia, the 'Northwest' or 'Northeast Passage'
't Weer sloeg plotseling om click to hear 2 3 The weather suddenly (turned around) changed
't roer omgooien click to hear ['to [throw] turn around the rudder'] to drastically change course
omkeren click to hear to turn around
(de) ommekeer click to hear 2 3 4 turnaround, turn, change
rechtsomkeert maken click to hear 2 3 making a 180° turn, turning back, turning around
(de) omwenteling click to hear 2 'turnaround' - rotation, revolution - also of government
omkopen click to hear 2 to bribe ('kopen' click to hear = to buy ->>)
(het) smeergeld click to hear [grease-money] - a bribe, baksheesh
(de) omweg click to hear 2 'detour'
't Is om click to hear 'It's a detour, it's not the shortest way'
zich omdraaien click to hear 2 3 4 to turn around (standing up) // to turn over (lying down, like in bed)
Hij draaide zich om en liep weg click to hear 2 3 He turned around and walked away
Draai je nou niet nog een keer om click to hear 2 3 [Now don't turn over (in bed) another time] - Get up!
omheen click to hear "around"
Je kunt er niet omheen click to hear 2 3 [You can't pass around it]- 'You'll have to deal with it, you can't ignore it'
(de) omgeving click to hear 2 3 surroundings, environment // surroundings, neighborhood
(de) omtrek click to hear 2 circumference
rondom click to hear 2 3 ~around
achterom click to hear 2 'around the back,' backward
Kijk even achterom voordat je afslaat click to hear 2 Quickly look back before you make a turn (in traffic)
(de) omstandigheden click to hear 2 3 circumstances, situation
de huidige omstandigheden click to hear 2 3 the present circumstances
onder bepaalde omstandigheden click to hear 2 3 under certain circumstances
onder welke omstandigheden click to hear 2 under which circumstances
wegens omstandigheden gesloten click to hear 2 3 closed due to (unexpected) circumstances
(de) samenloop van omstandigheden click to hear [convergenge, (running) coming together of circumstances] - coincidence
also:  (de) situatie click to hear 2 situation, circumstances
"Ik ken de situatie" click to hear 2 I know the situation (the circumstances, what's going on)
een vervelende situatie click to hear 2 an unpleasant situation
een onhoudbare situatie click to hear 2 3 an untenable situation, "it can't go on like this"
de ernst van de situatie click to hear 2 3 4 the seriousness of the situation, how serious the problem is
and also:  (de) positie click to hear 2 position
een onhoudbare positie click to hear 2 3 4 1. a viewpoint that's unacceptable
2. (military) a location that cannot be defended
alom click to hear 2 'all around,' everywhere
Hilariteit alom click to hear 2 3 Hilarity all around, everyone was laughing
(de) alomtegenwoordigheid click to hear 2 3 omnipresence, ubiquitous-ness (said of God)

5. 'om' = 'alternating'

In a few phrases, 'om' means 'alternating, every other -'
om de week click to hear every other week
om en om click to hear 2 3 'alternating'
om de dag click to hear every other day
Actually, 'every other day' can also have a radically different meaning: 'every other day than this' - which in Dutch is:
elke andere dag is goed click to hear 2 3 4 Every other day (than this) is fine

6. various

vragen om click to hear 2 3 to ask for
Hij vroeg om een glas water click to hear 2 3 He asked for a glass of water
Hij vroeg om een verklaring click to hear 2 He asked for an explanation
Ze vroegen om geld click to hear 2 3 4 They asked for money
We vragen om hulp click to hear 2 3 We're asking for help, assistance
Ze vroegen ons om hulp click to hear 2 They asked us for help, assistance
Ik heb er niet om gevraagd click to hear 2 3 I did not ask for it
bidden om regen click to hear 2 3 praying for rain
zich omkleden click to hear to change (clothes) - reflexive verbs
Ga je je omkleden? click to hear 2 Are you going to change (clothes)?
Vandaag moet ik een boom omzagen in Heelsum click to hear 2 3 Today I have to cut down a tree in Heelsum
(de) omschrijving click to hear 2 description
Kun je 't omschrijven? click to hear 2 Could you describe it?
Ik kom om van de honger click to hear 2 3 I'm perishing of hunger, I'm famished, I'm starving - usually jocular: I'm very hungry
omhoog click to hear 2 3 'up'
We klommen omhoog click to hear We climbed up
omlaag click to hear 2 'down'
We gleden omlaag click to hear 2 We slid (glided?) down
kortom ... click to hear 2 3 'in short,' summarizing, 'in conclusion'

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Don't be a dief (thief) / dievegge (female thief) - diefstal (theft) - stelen (to steal) - heler (dealer in stolen goods) - hear Dutch - 2