Berichten

Berichten is a Dutch word that functions as both a noun and a verb. As a noun, the singular is bericht, meaning a message, notification, or report, and the plural de berichten covers messages, notices, or reports in general. As a verb, berichten means to inform someone, to report something, or to send a message, and it is conjugated like other regular Dutch verbs: ik bericht, jij bericht, hij/zij bericht, wij berichten, jullie berichten, zij berichten.

Etymology: The term derives from Old Dutch and has cognates in other West Germanic languages, such as German Bericht. The senses of communication and reporting are historically related, since a bericht is often a message or a formal communication of information.

Usage: In everyday language, people speak of receiving or sending a bericht via telephone, email, or messaging apps, for example Ik heb een bericht ontvangen. In formal contexts, bericht refers to a news item or official notice; compounds such as nieuwsbericht (news item) and persbericht (press release) are common. The noun form can also appear as berichtgeving to denote the act or process of reporting.

Related terms include berichtje (a small message), nieuwsbericht (news item), persbericht (press release), and the verb berichten as well as related concepts in journalism and communications.

Overall, berichten covers both informal digital communication and formal information dissemination in Dutch.