Overleeft

Overleeft is the present tense form of the Dutch verb overleven, meaning to survive. It is used when the subject is third person singular, as in hij overleeft, zij overleeft, or het overleeft. The form overleeft is written with a double e.

Etymology and grammar: Overleven is built from the prefix over- combined with leven, the verb for “to live.” In the present tense, Dutch verbs adjust their endings; for overleven the forms include ik overleef, jij overleeft, hij/zij/het overleeft, wij overleven, jullie overleven, zij overleven. The specific string overleeft is the standard third-person singular form and is commonly used in both spoken and written Dutch.

Usage: Overleeft is used to describe surviving a person or thing through an event, circumstance, or condition. It appears in narratives, news, and everyday speech. Examples include: “Zij overleeft de ziekte” (She survives the illness) and “Hij overleeft de storm” (He survives the storm). The term can refer to physical survival, as well as metaphorical persistence, such as enduring hardship or a difficult period.

Notes: Overleeft is distinct from the noun-like noun overleving, which refers to the act or rate of surviving, or to survivorship in a demographic sense. The verb is irregular in form across tenses, but the present third-person singular overleeft is a standard and frequent occurrence in Dutch.

See also: overleven, survivability, Dutch verb conjugation.