Opgeknapt

Opgeknapt is the past participle of the Dutch verb opknappen, meaning to improve the condition of something through renovation, refurbishment, or cosmetic updates. It can be used as a verb form (Ik heb het huis opgeknapt) or as an adjective (een opgeknapte gevel), describing something that has been renovated or spruced up.

In practice, the term appears most often in relation to buildings, interiors, streets, and public spaces—such as a house, apartment, or storefront that has been renovated. It can also be used more broadly for updates that enhance appearance or usability, for example a room that has been painted and refreshed, or a neighborhood that has undergone urban renewal. The word is common in real estate, housing journalism, and urban development discourse.

Grammatically, the past participle can combine with hebben or zijn: Het huis is opgeknapt; Ik heb het huis opgeknapt. The attributive form is opgeknapte, as in een opgeknapte gevel. Etymologically, opknappen is formed from the prefix op- and knappen, with knappen historically meaning to repair or to make something look better.

See also: renoveren, verbeteren, make-over.