Tijdelijke

Tijdelijke is a Dutch adjective meaning lasting for a limited period or not permanent. It is used to describe conditions, arrangements, or statuses that are intended to be temporary rather than lasting indefinitely. In English, the closest translation is temporary.

Etymology and form: The word is derived from tijd, meaning time, and the suffix -elijk, which forms adjectives. The base form is tijdelijk; the form tijdelijke is commonly used before feminine singular or plural nouns in everyday Dutch, as in een tijdelijke oplossing or de tijdelijke maatregelen.

Usage: Tijdelijke appears across many contexts, from everyday speech to formal language. Common usages include tijdelijke oplossing (temporary solution), tijdelijke maatregelen (temporary measures), tijdelijke arbeidscontracten (temporary employment contracts), and tijdelijke verblijfsvergunning (temporary residence permit). It signals that a state, policy, or arrangement is not intended to be permanent and may be subject to change or review.

Variants and related terms: The opposite of tijdelijk is definitief or permanent. Related nouns include tijdelijkheid, meaning temporariness or the quality of being temporary, and closely related adjectives such as provisorisch (provisional) or kortdurend (short-term).

See also: In legal, administrative, and planning contexts, Tijdelijke is a frequent descriptor for arrangements, policies, or statuses designed to address an immediate need with a defined end date, while the possibility of renewal or transition to a permanent arrangement remains open.