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

'Denken' click to hear is 'to think' - using your brain to solve problems, puzzles or questions, to develop ideas and plans, to draw conclusions from various facts or options and things like that, but (in both Dutch and English) most of the time it is actually just used to state opinions, beliefs or ideas (or even to express feelings) or to alert: 'keep in mind, pay attention.'
Compound verbs with denken or the couplings with prepositions often have a more specific meaning. It is actually nadenken click to hear 2 that means letting the brain work

Conjugation
Sample Sentences:

Denken 'to Think' - stating opinions etc.

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

Denken with Other Prepositions

Compound Verbs with Denken

Verdenken - 'to Suspect'
Related Words

Denken click to hear 'to think' is a strong verb:

denken
to think
- dacht
thought
- gedacht
thought
click to hear
- note the similarities of the forms to English

overview
denken to think
ik denk I think, I am thinking
ik dacht I thought
ik heb gedacht I have thought
click to hear 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)
click to hear

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
click to hear 2

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

perfect tenses

ik heb gedacht click to hear I have thought

ik had gedacht click to hear 2 I had thought
auxiliary verb hebben

imperative

denk! click to hear 2 3 think!
(or rather: denk na! click to hear 2 3)

question mode

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

[me thinking]
ik denk click to hear

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

Denken - to state opinions, ideas, feelings

You'll usually see 'denken dat' - see the Dutch Summary for the change in word order in lines like that.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Veel mensen denken dat ... click to hear Many people think that ...

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

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

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

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

Ik dacht dat de wereld verging click to hear 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 click to hear 2 Some people think that they have more rights than others Also with 'vinden' click to hear 2 'to find'
Sommige mensen vinden dat ze meer rechten hebben dan anderen click to hear 2

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

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

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

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

Wat denk jij? click to hear 2 3 What do you think (of it)? - What's your opinion (on this)?

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

Denken aan click to hear 2 3 Thinking of/ thinking about /and/ 'keep in mind, pay attention to'

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

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

Waar denk je aan? click to hear What are you thinking of?

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

Daar had ik niet aan gedacht click to hear 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 click to hear 2 3 It had slipped my mind for a moment Niet aan gedacht! click to hear 2 3 I didn't think of that! I forgot!

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

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

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

Ik moet er niet aan denken click to hear 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 ... click to hear 2 Think of ..., Keep in mind ... Denk eraan dat de zomertijd dit weekend ingaat click to hear Keep in mind that the [summer time] daylight saving time starts this weekend

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

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

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

Denken with Other Prepositions

Wat denk jij d'r van? click to hear 2 What do you think of it? What's your opinion?

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

denken over click to hear 2 3 To think about, to consider

Ik denk erover click to hear 2 3 I'm thinking about it

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

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

Compound Verbs with 'Denken'

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

denk na! click to hear 2 3 think!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Verdenken - 'to Suspect'

Verdenken click to hear 2 'to suspect'

verdacht click to hear 2 3 / verdachte click to hear 2 suspicious, suspect (de) verdachte click to hear 2 suspect

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

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

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

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

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

(de) denker click to hear thinker, philosopher
de grote denkers click to hear 2 3 the major thinkers, philosophers

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

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

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

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

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

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

intelligent click to hear 2 intelligent
IQ click to hear 2 IQ
slim click to hear (slimme click to hear 2 3 - slim / slimme click to hear 2) clever, smart, bright - but also: shrewd, sly slimmer click to hear 2 more clever, more intelligent
sluw click to hear 2 (sluw / sluwe click to hear 2) shrewd, sly knap click to hear 1. pretty, beautiful, good-looking, 'handsome' (people)
2. intelligent, clever, bright, sharp, smart

The common Dutch word for 'beautiful' is
mooi click to hear (mooi / mooie click to hear 2) - more
Wie niet sterk is moet slim zijn click to hear (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 click to hear 2 He's just as clever as his mom Misschien was 't niet zo slim click to hear Maybe it was not very clever, maybe it was not a good idea Ik ben niet meer zo slim als ik ooit was click to hear 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 click to hear 2 3 Maybe I never was that clever Hij is heel slim en bovendien erg aardig click to hear 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 click to hear 2 3 She was pretty (or: intelligent) but [not extremely, extraordinarily pretty/intelligent] breathtakingly so wijsneus click to hear 2 a person who thinks he's wise and intelligent (but who is not)
more wijs click to hear 'wise,' having or showing experience, knowledge and good judgement
Hoe groter geest, hoe groter beest click to hear 2 3 4 (saying) 'The greater the mind, the more like a beast' - great intellects often behave badly

knap
pretty,
clever
- knapper
prettier,
more clever
- knapst
prettiest,
most clever
click to hear

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

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

(de) herdenking click to hear ["re-thinking"] - commemoration ceremony (de) Dodenherdenking click to hear 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 click to hear memorial stone
(het) aandenken click to hear 2 remembrance, memento, souvenir - an item to remember something by

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

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

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

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

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Gij zult niet stelen click to hear 'Thou shalt not steal'