Speuren

Speuren is a Dutch verb meaning to search, to look for, or to track. It can refer to physically looking for something, such as finding a lost object, or to more investigative work, such as tracing clues in a mystery. It is also used in the context of tracking animals or scents, including the training of dogs. The common construction is speuren naar, meaning to search for or hunt for something, for example “Ze speurt naar aanwijzingen” (She is looking for clues).

Etymology and related terms: speuren is related to the noun spoor, meaning track or trace, and shares its semantic field with other Dutch expressions about following a trail. The verb can be used in both literal and figurative senses, for instance in investigations or in searching for information.

Usage and examples: Speuren is transitive and typically takes a direct object with a naar phrase. In everyday language it can describe ordinary searching as well as sustained investigative effort. Related terms include speurwerk (detective work) and speurhonden (tracking dogs).

- The police speurt naar de dader. (The police are searching for the perpetrator.)

- Een hond speurt naar geuren. (A dog tracks scents.)

- Hij speurt naar verloren documenten. (He searches for lost documents.)

Notes: In Dutch, the verb forms regularly in present tense (ik speur, jij speurt, hij speurt; wij speuren) and has the past participle gespéurd. Speuren can carry both concrete and abstract meanings, and is commonly used in journalism, policing, and everyday speech to describe the act of seeking or investigating.