Want and omdat mean the same thing: both give a reason, like ‘because’. The difference is the word order. After want nothing changes. After omdat the verb moves to the end of the sentence. So the advice for the exam is simple: if you are not sure, choose want. You say exactly the same thing and you cannot make a word-order mistake.
Marieke Schipper · NT2 teacher
If you want to connect two sentences, choose ‘want’ instead of ‘omdat’. With ‘want’ you make two main clauses and you do not have to change anything. With ‘omdat’ you have to adjust the word order, and that is where it goes wrong.
The difference in one example
The same thought, written three ways. Look only at the verb ben and bent.
| Way | The sentence | Where is the verb? |
|---|---|---|
| with want | Ik zou met de auto gaan, want dan ben je sneller. | in second place, as normal |
| two separate sentences | Ik zou met de auto gaan. Je bent sneller. | in second place, as normal |
| with omdat | Ik zou met de auto gaan, omdat je dan sneller bent. | right at the end |
That is the whole difference. There is no difference in meaning you need to know at A2. There is only a place the verb has to go.
Why ‘want’ is easier
After want comes a main clause: subject, verb, rest. You move nothing.
Ik kom niet, want ik ben ziek.
Ik neem de trein, want de auto is kapot.
After omdat comes a subordinate clause, and there the verb goes to the end.
Ik kom niet, omdat ik ziek ben.
Ik neem de trein, omdat de auto kapot is.
With two verbs, both of them move back: Ik kom niet, omdat ik moet werken.
Wrong
- Ik kom niet, omdat ik ben ziek.
- Ik neem de trein, omdat de auto is kapot.
Right
- Ik kom niet, omdat ik ziek ben.
- Ik kom niet, want ik ben ziek.
The third option: make it two sentences
You do not have to connect sentences at all. Two short, correct sentences are better than one long sentence with a mistake in it. At A2 you are assessed on whether you write and speak clearly and correctly, not on whether you build complex sentences.
Ik zou met de auto naar mijn werk gaan. Je bent sneller. Two sentences, both correct, no risk at all.
When you do use ‘omdat’
There is one place where want does not work: as the answer to the question waarom? (why?).
Right
Answer to a why-question
Question
Waarom kom je niet?
Answer
Omdat ik ziek ben.
Sounds odd
Same question, with want
Question
Waarom kom je niet?
Answer
Want ik ben ziek.
You get that why-question regularly on the Speaking exam. So do practise omdat — but practise it separately, and do not build long sentences with it while the clock is running.
Which sentence is correct?
Do not forget the comma
A comma goes before want and before omdat. Candidates forget it often, and on the Writing exam it costs points. More of those small things are in the eight mistakes on the A2 Writing exam.
Practise it out loud
You do not learn word order from a table. You learn it by making sentences and hearing what goes wrong. On Speaking you notice the difference fastest: there you have no time to repair a sentence.