Misgaan

Misgaan is a Dutch verb meaning to go wrong, to fail, or to turn out badly. It is an intransitive verb formed with the prefix mis- attached to gaan (to go). In present tense, it is common to say het gaat mis or er gaat iets mis. The simple past is ging mis, and the present perfect is is misgegaan. The pluperfect would be was misgegaan.

The prefix mis- signals that something has not gone as intended or expected. Misgaan is often used for processes, plans, events, or systems that do not unfold successfully, as well as for mistakes or mishaps in actions. It is slightly different from mislukken, which emphasizes a failure to succeed more than a route or event going off the rails.

Common expressions include er gaat iets mis (something is going wrong), het is misgegaan (something has gone wrong), and dat gaat mis (that is going wrong or will go wrong). In many contexts, misgaan describes unexpected problems rather than a deliberate error, and it can apply to tangible things (machinery, logistics) or intangible ones (communication, arrangements).

Related terms include mislopen (to turn out badly or end up differently than planned) and misdraging (less common; not standard). In everyday language, speakers may substitute misgaan with mislukken when focusing on failure to achieve an objective.

See also: mislopen, mislukken, gaan.