Terugkeren

Terugkeren is a Dutch verb meaning to return to a place or situation after having been away. It can describe a person returning to a home, country, or another location, as well as the reversion to a previous state or condition. The noun form is terugkeer, used for the act of returning or the result of returning.

The word combines terug- meaning back with keren meaning to turn, forming a regular -eren verb. In present tense: ik keer terug, jij keert terug, hij keert terug, wij keren terug, jullie keren terug, zij keren terug. The imperfect is ik keerde terug (and similarly for other subjects), and the past participle is teruggekeerd, used with zijn in the perfect tense (bijvoorbeeld: Hij is teruggekeerd).

Usage notes: terugkeren emphasizes the act of returning after an absence, typically to a familiar place such as home or country, but it can also refer to returning to a previous state or condition. It is often used in formal or policy contexts, for example in discussions of migration and reintegration, with the noun terugkeer or the phrase terugkeerbeleid. In everyday speech, synonyms include teruggaan and terugkomen, though nuances differ: terugkeren highlights the return itself, while terugkomen focuses more on the arrival, and omkeren means to turn around or reverse course.

Examples: Na een jaar in het buitenland keerde hij terug naar Nederland. De vlucht keerde terug naar Schiphol. De terugkeer van de migrant werd als succes gevierd.