Denken

Denken is a Dutch verb meaning to think, to consider, or to reflect. It covers a range of mental activities from forming judgments and solving problems to weighing options and planning. In combination with prepositions, denken is used in several common expressions, such as denken aan (to think of/about) and denken over (to think about/to consider). A well-known compound is nadenken, meaning to think things through or to reflect; in present tense it forms with the separated element: ik denk na, jij denkt na, hij denkt na.

Grammatical overview: denken is an irregular verb. In the present tense, the forms are ik denk, jij denkt, hij denkt, wij denken, jullie denken, zij denken. The simple past tense is dacht for all persons, with the past plural: dachten. The past participle is gedacht, used with hebben (ik heb gedacht; ik heb nagedacht in the compound na-denken). The present participle is denkend, and the infinitive is denken. Dutch also uses denken in constructions with conjunctions and subclauses, for example ik denk dat hij komt (I think that he is coming).

Usage notes: denken can express belief, supposition, or intention, depending on context. It governs various complement constructions, such as denken dat, denken dat het waar is, or denken aan iemand. The verb is central in philosophy and cognitive science discussions about thought and consciousness. In Dutch literature, Descartes’ famous cogito, “I think, therefore I am,” is rendered as “Ik denk, dus ik ben.” Etymology: denken is related to German denken and English think, originating from Proto-Germanic roots for thought.