Overwegen

Overwegen is a Dutch verb meaning to think over, to consider, or to weigh options before making a decision. The term implies a careful assessment of possible courses of action, often involving weighing advantages and disadvantages. It is commonly used with a to-infinitive or a clause introduced by dat, or with om te plus a verb, as in ik overweeg om naar het buitenland te gaan or we overwegen alle opties.

Etymology and usage notes: The verb is formed from the prefix over- and the verb wegen, meaning to weigh. In modern Dutch the past participle is overwogen, and the simple past forms include overwoog for singular. The present tense forms are ik overweeg, jij overweegt, hij overweegt, wij overwegen, jullie overwegen, zij overwegen. The expression can combine with nouns or clauses that name the contemplated action, for example: we overwegen een fusie, ik overweeg het voorstel, of na lang overwegen besloot hij toch te blijven. While related to nadenken (to think) and afwegen (to weigh, typically with a sense of weighing pros and cons), overwegen emphasizes the consideration of alternatives and potential outcomes.

See also: Nazaten from nadenken, overpeinzen, afwegen. The nuance is that overwegen is often used in(decision) contexts where one weighs options more systematically, whereas nadenken can be broader and less structured, and afwegen is explicitly about balancing pros and cons.