Ruiken

Ruiken is the Dutch verb meaning “to smell” or “to sniff,” referring both to the act of detecting odors and, figuratively, to perceiving a situation or intent. The verb is intransitive and can be used with an object when the odor itself is named, as in “Hij ruikt de geur van vers gebakken brood.” In colloquial speech it also appears in idiomatic expressions such as “ruiken aan de macht” (to sense authority) or “een reuk van onrecht” (a whiff of injustice).

Etymologically, ruiken derives from Middle Dutch “ruiken,” which is related to Old High German “rouken” and shares a common Germanic root with the English “reek.” The noun “ruik” (archaic) once denoted a scent, while the modern noun “geur” has largely replaced it in everyday language.

In standard Dutch conjugation ruiken follows the weak verb pattern: present tense “ik ruik, jij ruikt, hij/zij/het ruikt,” past tense “ik rook,” past participle “geroken,” and gerund “ruikend.” The verb is frequently used in sensory descriptions in literature and journalism, especially in the context of food, nature, and crime reporting, where “ruiken” conveys both literal and metaphorical detection.

The verb also appears in regional dialects, particularly in Flemish varieties, where variations such as “ruik’n” or “ruuke” can be encountered. Its use in contemporary Dutch remains common and is taught early in language education as a basic sensory verb.