An oil pump for an internal combustion engine for drawing up the lubricating oil situated in an oil collector device has an oil pump housing wherein at least two pairs of gears are disposed. The pairs of gears, in order to form the pumping stages, are connected on the suction side to a suction passage formed in the oil pump housing and on the delivery side to a delivery passage. The oil pump housing is further formed with an oil supply passage that is connected to the suction passage of a first pumping stage and via which lubricating oil can be delivered to the suction side of the first pumping stage.