Genomen

Genomen is the past participle of the Dutch verb nemen, meaning to take. It is used with the auxiliary hebben to form perfect tenses and can also function as an adjective or in passive constructions. In standard Dutch, the base verb is nemen (ik neem, jij neemt, hij neemt, wij nemen, jullie nemen, zij nemen), while genomen serves as the completed-action form.

In usage, genomen appears in phrases such as Ik heb het boek genomen (I have taken the book) or Zij heeft de trein genomen (She has taken the train). The past participle also forms the present perfect passive: Het boek is genomen (The book has been taken). For longer Past Tense sequences, the pluperfect is bijvoorbeeld Ik had genomen (I had taken). In many contexts, genomen can function adjectivally to describe actions already completed, as in de genomen beslissingen (the decisions taken) or de genomen stappen (the steps that were taken).

Grammatical note: because nemen is a transitive verb, genomen is typically paired with hebben in perfect tenses. As a participle, it can appear attributively before a noun or in compound verb phrases. The form is irregular relative to the base stem neem-, reflecting Dutch participle formation.

Etymology: nemen is inherited from Old Dutch nemen, sharing cognates with German nehmen and the broader Germanic family; the sense core is “to take.” Volumes on Dutch grammar often illustrate genomen through common compounds and passive constructions to show completed action.

See also: nemen, Dutch verb conjugation, Dutch grammar, participles.