Talrijke

Talrijke is a Dutch adjective meaning numerous or abundant, used to describe a large number of people, objects, or events. It signals that there is more than a handful, often with a sense of emphasis or formality. In English, it is closest to “numerous” or “many.” The word stems from tal (number) and rijk (rich).

In modern Dutch, talrijke is the attributive form used before plural nouns, usually in combination with a determiner or in formal prose. Examples include de talrijke bezoekers, talrijke voorbeelden, and talrijke getuigen. In predicative position, after a linking verb, the form talrijk is used: De steden zijn talrijk. Er waren talrijke getuigen. This distinction between talrijke (attributive) and talrijk (predicative) is a notable feature of its inflection.

Usage notes: talrijke tends to appear in written or formal language and can strengthen a claim about quantity more than simply veel or vele. It is commonly found in journalism, reports, and scholarly writing. Synonyms include vele and veel, while antonyms include zeldzaam or schaars. The word can also appear in compound expressions such as “talrijke toepassingen” or “talrijke voorbeelden,” underscoring its emphasis on breadth rather than singular abundance.

See also: zahlreich (German cognate with the same sense), numerous (English equivalent). In Dutch usage, talrijke provides a precise, formal alternative to more everyday terms when indicating a large but not necessarily unlimited quantity.