Gunnen

Gunnen is a Dutch verb with several related meanings centered on giving, granting, or allowing something, often with an element of goodwill. In its most common idiomatic use it means to wish someone well or to be glad for another person’s good fortune. It is used with two objects: the beneficiary (often a person) and the thing granted. For example, Ik gun hem een nieuwe auto. Ik gun haar die kans. In this sense, gunnen expresses a positive feeling about someone else receiving something.

Grammatical notes: Gunnen is a ditransitive verb. In the present tense the forms are: ik gun, jij/gunt, hij gunt, wij gunnen, jullie gunnen, zij gunnen. The past tense is gunde for all persons (ik gunde, jij gunde, hij gunde, wij gunden, jullie gunden, zij gunden). The past participle is gegund, used with have as in Ik heb gegund. The imperative singular is gun, and the plural form is usually context-dependent (gun jezelf wat rust is a common usage).

Usage and nuances: The core construction is iemand iets gunnen (to grant someone something or to wish someone something). Examples: Ik gun hem een nieuwe baan. Ik gun haar dit succes. In the sense of wishing well, it can also mean “I hope you get it” or “I’m glad for you,” as in Ik gun het je. A fixed expression, niet te gunnen, describes something hard to bear or undeserved; bijvoorbeeld Dat is hem niet gegund.

Etymology and relations: Gunnen derives from Germanic roots related to gönnen in German, sharing the sense of granting or approving. It is distinct from formal permission verbs like toestaan, which emphasize legal or official allowance rather than personal goodwill.