Benutten

Benutten is a Dutch verb meaning to use or to make use of something; to utilize or to take advantage of. It commonly describes purposeful or efficient use of resources, opportunities, or tools. The act is usually transitive and paired with a direct object, as in de gelegenheid benutten (to seize the opportunity) or de middelen benutten (to utilize the resources). The term can carry a neutral or positive nuance, signaling effectiveness, rather than mere consumption.

Etymology: from the noun nut meaning benefit or use, with the prefix be- forming a verb meaning to cause to be of use, related to other Germanic forms. The sense aligns with the English to utilize or to make use of.

Conjugation: benutten is a regular Dutch verb. The perfect tense uses hebben with the past participle benut, for example: We hebben de gelegenheid benut. Present tense forms follow standard pattern: ik benut, jij benut, hij benut, wij benutten, jullie benutten, zij benutten.

Usage notes: benutten emphasizes purposeful application and optimization, sometimes with an implication of not wasting an opportunity. In everyday language, gebruiken is often more common for general to use, while benutten is preferred when highlighting the act of making full use of something.

See also: gebruiken, nut, gebruik, benutting.

Examples: We hebben de gelegenheid benut om het project te starten. Bedrijven moeten hun middelen efficiënt benutten.