Tienmaal

Tienmaal is a Dutch term used to express a tenfold increase or comparison. It functions as a quantitative modifier and can appear in mathematical contexts as well as in everyday language to indicate that something is ten times as much, large, or fast as another thing.

Etymology and spelling: The word combines tien (ten) with maal (times). In modern Dutch, tienmaal is commonly written as a single word, though older texts or stylistic variants may render it as tien maal. It is related to other multiplicative forms such as tienvoudig, which means tenfold.

Usage: In mathematics, tienmaal denotes multiplication by ten. In descriptive language, it serves to intensify or compare. Common constructions include tienmaal zo hoog, tienmaal zo groot, or tienmaal zo snel, meaning ten times as high, ten times as large, or ten times as fast, respectively. In many contexts, tienvoudig (tenfold) serves as a closer synonym, especially in more formal writing.

Examples:

- De winst is tienmaal hoger dan vorig jaar.

- De kosten zijn tienmaal zo duur.

- De productie is tienmaal groter dan gepland.

- Deze motor is tienmaal zo snel als de oude.

Variants and nuance: While tienmaal is widely understood, speakers may use tienmaal zo snel or tienmaal zo groot to emphasize the comparative aspect. The term is most common in Dutch-language technical, scientific, and econometric discourse, but it also appears in general prose and media when a clear, drastic relative change is described.

See also: tienvoudig, tienvoud.