Dutch Verb Denken ('to Think') - Smartphones Page

nadenken 2

Denken 'to think' is a strong verb:

denken to think

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dacht thought

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gedacht thought

overview
denken		to think
ik denk		I think, I am thinking
ik dacht		I thought
ik heb gedacht		I have thought
2

simple present tense
denken		to think
ik denk		I am thinking
jij denkt		you are thinking (singular, informal you)
hij denkt		he is thinking
wij denken		we are thinking
jullie denken		you are thinking (plural, informal you)
zij denken		they are thinking
U denkt		you are thinking (polite you)

simple past tense
(denken)		to think
ik dacht		I was thinking
jij dacht		you were thinking
hij dacht		he was thinking
wij dachten		we were thinking
jullie dachten		y'all were thinking
zij dachten		they were thinking
U dacht		you were thinking
2

ik dacht 2 3 I thought, I was thinking wij dachten 2 3 we thought, we were thinking

perfect tenses

ik heb gedacht I have thought

ik had gedacht 2 I had thought
auxiliary verb hebben

imperative

denk! 2 3 think!
(or rather: denk na! 2 3)

question mode

The second person singular drops the T when the verb comes before the personal pronoun:
denk je? 2 3 Do you think so?

ik denk

Ik denk dus ik besta 2 3 I think, [therefore I exist] so I am
cogito, ergo sum

Denken - to state opinions, ideas, feelings

Ik denk dat het te laat is I think it's too late

Denk je dat 't gaat regenen? Do you think it's going to rain? ‑>>

Hij denkt dat ik het gedroomd heb 2 He thinks I [dreamed it] saw it in a dream

Zij denkt dat 't nog gaat gebeuren She thinks it's still going to happen

Ik denk dat het morgen klaar is I think it will be ready tomorrow

Ik denk dat ik het huis wit ga verven I think I'm going to paint the house white

Ik denk het niet 2 3 I don't think so, I don't agree, I'm of another opinion

You can also say:
Volgens mij ... 2 3 [According to me ...] - I think ...

Denk je ook niet dat ...? 2 3 [Don't] Do you also think that ...? Do you agree that ...?

Wie had dat gedacht? 2 3 Who'd have thought? (Something unexpected comes to light)

Veel mensen denken dat ... Many people think that ...

Veel mensen denken zo Many people think it's like that, many people agree, It's a common opinion

Je zou haast denken ... 2 3 You'd almost think ... It looks like ...

leuk vinden 2 'to like' Ik dacht dat je het leuk zou vinden 2 I thought you'd like it Ik dacht dat je het leuk zou vinden om dit te zien 2 I was thinking you'd enjoy seeing this

't Was nog erger dan ik dacht 2 3 It was even worse than I (had) thought

Ik dacht dat de wereld verging 2 [I thought the world was perishing] - I thought it was the end of the world

Sommige mensen denken dat ze meer rechten hebben dan anderen 2 Some people think that they have more rights than others Also with 'vinden' 2 'to find'
Sommige mensen vinden dat ze meer rechten hebben dan anderen 2

Ik denk niet dat 't veel uitmaakt 2 3 4 I don't think it makes much of a difference

Hij dacht 't te weten 2 He thought he knew Hij dacht 't te kunnen 2 3 He thought he could, he thought he would be able to

Wat denk je wel niet? 2 3 What [yes-no] crazy thing are you thinking? What are you thinking? - You think too much of yourself

Zeggen wat je denkt 2 3 Saying what you're thinking, voicing your opinions - speaking your mind

Wat denk jij? 2 3 What do you think (of it)? - What's your opinion (on this)? Wat denk jij d'r van? 2 What do you think (of it)?

Ik weet niet wat ik ervan moet denken 2 [I don't know what to think of it] - I'm not sure what to make of it, I'm baffled

Denken aan - Thinking of/about;
- 'Bear in Mind, Keep in Mind, Pay Attention'

Denkend aan Holland zie ik brede rivieren traag door oneindig laagland gaan When I think of Holland I see wide rivers flow slowly in boundless lowlands
Henk Marsman - complete poem

Ik zat te denken aan ... I was thinking of ... - The Continuous Ik zit te denken aan een cadeau I'm thinking of a present

Waar denk je aan? What are you thinking of?

't Deed me denken aan een boek ... 2 It made me think of a book ... 't Doet me denken aan een boek van Mulisch 2 It makes me think of a book by Mulisch

Daar had ik niet aan gedacht 2 3 I had not thought of that, I had forgotten about that, I did not take that into account Daar had ik even niet aan gedacht 2 3 It had slipped my mind for a moment Dingen waar ik niet aan dacht 2 3 Things I didn't think of, things I forgot about Niet aan gedacht! 2 3 I didn't think of that! I forgot!

Iets waar ik pas later aan dacht 2 Something I only thought of later, an afterthought Dat ik daar nooit eerder aan gedacht heb! 2 3 4 5 That I'd never thought of that before!

Ik heb eraan gedacht 2 I did think of it:
1. I had not forgotten it
2. I did consider it

Daar had je aan moeten denken 2 (3 4) You should have thought of that

Ik moet er niet aan denken 2 I shouldn't think of it, I don't want to think of it, I shudder when I think of it, it makes me afraid

denk eraan ... 2 Think of ..., Keep in mind ... Denk eraan dat de zomertijd dit weekend ingaat Keep in mind that the [summer time] daylight saving time starts this weekend

Zoveel dingen om aan te denken! 2 So many things to keep in mind!

Ik denk er vaak aan 2 3 I often think of it (a memory)

Ik denk vaak aan je I often think of you (with affection)

Denken with Other Prepositions

Ik denk van niet 2 3 4 5 6 I don't think so

denken over 2 3 To think about, to consider

Ik denk erover 2 3 I'm thinking about it

Ik denk erover op te houden 2 3 I'm thinking about stopping, quitting

't eerste waar je aan denkt 2 3 The first thing you think of Wat 't eerst in je opkomt 2 3 The first thing you think of, the first thing that comes to mind

Compound Verbs with 'Denken'

nadenken 2 3 (4) to think over, considering something carefully - this is the real 'denken' - to think - use the brain

denk na! 2 3 think!

zonder nadenken 2 unthinkingly, without thinking it over zonder erover na te denken 2 unthinkingly, without carefully thinking it over automatisch, zonder erover na te denken 2 3 4 automatically, without thinking onnadenkend 2 unthinkingly, not considering consequences of actions

Daar heb ik niet over nagedacht 2 I have not thought it over

't Heeft me doen nadenken 2 3 It made me think things over

Ik wil er nog even over nadenken 2 3 I'd like some more time, I need more time to think it over

Ik heb er niet goed over nagedacht 2 3 4 I have not thought it out well

Hij heeft er een uur over zitten na te denken 2
Hij heeft er een uur over zitten nadenken 2 3 He's been thinking about it for an hour

Hij dacht er niet lang over na 2 3 4
Hij heeft er niet lang over nagedacht 2 He didn't think long about it

overdenken 2 3 4 to think something over carefully, to ponder, weigh all options

niet goed doordacht 2 3 not well thought [through] out

bedenken 2 3 to think up, 'invent,' 'devise'

Ik heb 't zelf bedacht 2 3 I thought of it myself, I thought it up myself (original thinking) De vrouw die het bedacht had 3 The woman who had thought it up  >> Het enige voorbeeld dat ik kan bedenken The only example (that) I can think of Hij bedacht snel een smoesje 2 3 He quickly [thought up] made up an excuse Dan moet ik iets anders bedenken 2 3 Then I'll have to think [up] of something else (we need a new plan)

zich bedenken 2 3 to change your mind, change your opinion or adopt other plans Ik heb me bedacht 2 3 I changed my mind, I'm of another opinion now - or: I have other plans now

bedachtzaam 2 3 4 cautious, pensive
bedenkelijk 2 questionable, dubious
(het) bedenksel 2 3 [something (not-too-bright) thought up] - 'fabrication,' 'figment of imagination' also: (het) verzinsel
verzinnen 2 'to think up,' 'to make up (a story)'

Verdenken - 'to Suspect'

verdacht 2 3 / verdachte 2 suspicious, suspect (de) verdachte 2 suspect

De verdachte heeft bekend 2 3 The suspect has confessed (to the crime)

Hij wordt verdacht van heling 2 3 He is suspected of dealing in stolen goods

Ik verdenk hem van plagiaat 2 I suspect him of committing plagiarism

But also: Wees verdacht op ... 2 3 Expect, watch out for, be prepared for dangerous ...

Wees verdacht op windstoten Expect, watch out for, be prepared for sudden gusts of wind

Related Words

(het) idee idea
plural: ideeën 2 ideas
't idee! 2 the idea! (it's preposterous, ridiculous) (het) ideetje 2 [small, clever] idea
geen idee! no idea! (I don't know) Dat is een goed idee That's a good idea Niet zo'n goed idee 2 Not [such] a good idea Tenzij je 'n beter idee hebt ... 2 3 Unless you have a better idea ...

Heb je enig idee wat het is? 2 slow slow2 Do you have any idea what it is? Ik heb er m'n eigen ideeën over 2 3 4 I have my own ideas about it (I do not agree with the majority opinion) Ze hebben er geen idee van 2 3 They have no idea [about it] - they don't know that

ideaal 2 ideal
(het) ideaal 2 ideal
plural: idealen ideals
(de) idealist idealist
De idealen werden uit het oog verloren ~The ideals were lost from sight, dropped along the way De idealen waren uit het oog verloren ~The ideals were lost from sight, dropped along the way

(het) principe 2 3 principle
plural:  principes principles
in principe 2 3 in principle, theoretically principieel 2 principled
Hij is erg principieel 2 3 He is very principled, he lives by high principles

(de) gedachte thought, idea
(het) gedachtetje 2 3 [small, amusing] thought
(de) hoofdgedachte 2 3 main thought, prinicpal/leading idea (het) gedachtengoed 2 3 a person's 'collected thoughts,' range of ideas gedachtenloos 2 3 unthinking, without thinking, thoughtless in gedachten verzonken 2 3 4 5 6 7 [sunk deep into thoughts] deep in thought Ik ben van gedachten veranderd I changed my [thoughts] mind leuke gedachten 2 3 1. pleasant thoughts
2. interesting ideas Wat ik in gedachten had ... 2 3 What I had in [thoughts] mind ... (de) nagedachtenis 2 3 memory (in memory of) - honoring the deceased

(de) denkwereld a person's 'thinking environment' (het) denkraam 2 3 [thinking-frame] - brain capacity, brainpower hersenen brain (the organ, body part) hersens 'brains'
(het) brein 2 brain, brains

intelligent 2 intelligent
IQ 2 IQ
slim (slimme 2 3 - slim / slimme 2) clever, smart, bright - but also: shrewd, sly slimmer 2 more clever, more intelligent
sluw 2 (sluw / sluwe 2) shrewd, sly knap 1. pretty, beautiful, good-looking, 'handsome' (people)
2. intelligent, clever, bright, sharp, smart
The common Dutch word for 'beautiful' is
mooi (mooi / mooie 2) - more Wie niet sterk is moet slim zijn (saying) ['Those who are not strong (powerful) ...'] - 'If you're not strong you have to be clever' Hij is net zo slim als z'n moeder 2 He's just as clever as his mom Misschien was 't niet zo slim Maybe it was not very clever, maybe it was not a good idea Ik ben niet meer zo slim als ik ooit was 2 I'm no longer as clever [as I ever was] as I was in the past, as I used to be Misschien was ik nooit zo slim 2 3 Maybe I never was that clever Hij is heel slim en bovendien erg aardig 2 3 4 He's very clever and on top of that very kind, a nice person Ze was wel knap, maar niet heel erg knap 2 3 She was pretty (or: intelligent) but [not extremely, extraordinarily pretty/intelligent] breathtakingly so wijsneus 2 a person who thinks he's wise and intelligent (but who is not)
more wijs 'wise,' having or showing experience, knowledge and good judgement Hoe groter geest, hoe groter beest 2 3 4 (saying) 'The greater the mind, the more like a beast' - great intellects often behave badly

knap pretty, clever

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knapper prettier, more clever

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knapst prettiest, most clever

dom (domme 2 3 - dom/domme ) ['dumb'] - stupid, not intelligent oerdom 2 very stupid
(de) domkop 2 stupid person
(de) domoor 2 3 stupid child or person (teasing)
(de) domme pech 2 3 [stupid] much bad luck - seemingly random
Wat een domme man! 2 What a dumb guy! Al de domme dingen die ik gedaan heb 2 3 All the stupid things I've done Hoe kan ik zo dom zijn? 2 3 4 How can I be so stupid? How is such stupidity possible? Doe geen domme dingen! 2 3 [Don't do stupid things!] - Don't do anything stupid! Wat is dat nou voor iets doms? 2 3 [What a stupid thing that is] - Such stupidity! Te dom om voor de duivel te dansen slow (saying) ['too stupid to dance for the devil'] - said of a not very bright person

stom 2 (stomme 2 3) stupid, unthinking, brainless // mute (de) stommiteit 2 3 stupidity, stupid action
Hoe kan ik zo stom zijn? 2 3 How can I be that stupid? (anger about a mistake) Wat een stom gedoe! 2 3 Such stupidity! Wat is dat nou voor iets stoms! 2 What a stupid thing! How can such stupidity be? stom gelazer! 2 3 4 such stupidity! (very annoyed, angry) doofstom deaf-mute
In Dutch, the 'voiceless, unstressed E' is called 'stomme E' 2 or 'toonloze E' though I'd rather call it 'niet-beklemtoonde E' ('unstressed E') or 'doffe E' 2 ('dull E')

(de) herdenking ["re-thinking"] - commemoration ceremony (de) Dodenherdenking 2 Commemoration ceremony of those who died (in the Second World War) - in the evening of May 4th (Holland was neutral in WWI) (de) gedenksteen memorial stone
(het) aandenken 2 remembrance, memento, souvenir - an item to remember something by

(de) aandacht 2 attention
aandacht voor details attention to details aandacht besteden aan 2 to pay attention to Besteed geen aandacht aan het geld Don't pay attention to the money Besteed geen aandacht aan details Don't pay attention to details Besteed geen aandacht aan de kritiek 2 3 Don't pay attention to the criticism Besteed nog geen aandacht aan de details 2 Don't pay attention to the details yet, for now ignore the details

See also 'to understand' which is in Dutch either 'Verstaan' 2 ('to understand, hear what is said') or begrijpen ('to understand, know the how or why of something.')

(de) rede 2 3 1. reason, rationality
2. speech, address, presentation
3. ships anchoring ('parking') area outside harbor de triomf der rede 2 3 the triumph of reason (old-fashioned) rede en gevoel 2 3 reason and feeling, 'heart and mind' (de) redenering 2 argumentation, line of reasoning redelijk 2 (redelijke ) reasonable, fair // rational, sensible een redelijke hoeveelheid 2 3 a reasonable, fair, rather large amount onredelijk 2 3 unreasonable, unfair, not right, unjust 't Is onredelijk It's unreasonable

logisch logical
't Is niet logisch 2 3 It's not logical Dat is nogal logisch 2 3 4 That's rather logical, that's self-evident (I see that) de enige logische verklaring 2 3 4 the only [logical] rational explanation

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