Vergezellen

Vergezellen is a Dutch verb meaning to accompany someone or to go along with them as a companion or escort. The action can be physical, such as accompanying someone to a place or event, or social, such as staying with someone for support or company during an activity. It is used in everyday language as well as in more formal contexts, for example a guide accompanying tourists or a family member accompanying a relative to a hospital or ceremony.

Vergezellen is a transitive verb and takes a direct object representing the person or group being accompanied, often with an indication of the destination or purpose. In present tense one can say, for example, "de gids vergezelt de reizigers" or "hij vergezelt haar naar het station." The past participle is vergezeld, as in "Hij heeft haar vergezeld." The plural present form is "zij vergezellen," and the third-person singular form is "hij vergezelt."

Origins and usage notes: the verb derives from gezellen (to accompany, to be in company) with the prefix ver-, a common Dutch derivational device. The sense covers both literal presence and ceremonial or formal attendance in professional or social settings. Related terms include begeleid en meereizen (to travel along) and begeleiden (to accompany in a guiding or supervising sense). Vergezellen can convey personal companionship as well as official attendance, depending on context.