Blunderen

Blunderen is a Dutch verb meaning to commit a blunder or to make a clumsy, embarrassing, or misguided mistake. It is commonly used in informal speech and writing and can refer to errors in work, sports, politics, or everyday situations. The term conveys that the mistake arose from carelessness or poor judgment, though not necessarily from ill intent.

Conjugation and usage: In the present tense, the form is ik blunder, jij blundert, hij/zij/het blundert; wij blunderen, jullie blunderen, zij blunderen. The simple past is ik blunderde, jij blunderde, hij blunderde; wij blunderden, jullie blunderden, zij blunderden. The present perfect is formed with hebben: ik heb geblunderd. The verb can appear in passive or ongoing constructions as er wordt geblunderd. A present participle form is blunderend, used in compound forms or as an adjective, and the past participle is geblunderd.

Etymology and usage notes: Blunderen is a relatively recent Dutch formation and is likely derived from the English loanword blunder, joined with the Dutch -eren infinitive suffix to form a regular verb. It is most often used in neutral to mildly humorous contexts and does not typically carry harsh moral judgments, though it can describe serious mistakes when the context warrants it.

Examples: Hij blunderde tijdens de presentatie door het verkeerde rapport te openen. In de reacties werd gezegd dat de minister geblunderd had door het plan zonder grondige analyse te presenteren. See also: blunder (loanword), fout, vergissing.