Tevoorschijn

Tevoorschijn is a Dutch adverbial particle used with verbs such as komen and brengen to indicate emergence or revelation. It expresses that something hidden or not yet visible becomes visible, either literally (appearing in view) or figuratively (becoming known or evident). The term is common in everyday language, journalism, and literature.

Etymology and form: Tevoorschijn is a compound built from te- and voorschijn, with voorschijn derived from voor- (in front) and schijn (appearance or shine). The overall sense is that something moves from behind the scenes into view. It functions as a fixed expression and does not freely inflect on its own; the main verb carries tense and agreement.

Usage: Intransitively, one says something komt tevoorschijn, meaning it comes to light or appears. Transitive usage is also frequent in the form X brengt/Y tevoorschijn, meaning X brings Y to light or reveals Y. The construction is versatile and appears in both formal and informal contexts.

Examples: Nieuwe documenten kwamen tevoorschijn tijdens het onderzoek. De getuige bracht nieuwe feiten tevoorschijn. Langzamerhand kwamen de oorzaken tevoorschijn. Een gebrek aan data bracht geen conclusies tevoorschijn.

Related terms and alternatives: Tevoorschijn is often contrasted with onthullen or openbaren, which carry a more deliberate or official sense of disclosure. In some contexts, phrases like “uit het donker brengen” or simply “uitkomen” can convey a similar idea of revealing information or objects.

See also: Dutch verbs for appearance and revelation; onthullen; openbaren; komen tevoorschijn.