Voldaan

Voldaan is a Dutch adjective meaning satisfied or content, typically signaling that a desire has been fulfilled or a task has been completed. It can describe a person who feels content after an experience, or a situation that has been settled, such as a payment or a result.

Etymology and history: The word originates from Middle Dutch voldaan, comprising vol (full, complete) and daan (deed, action). The sense shifted from the idea of something being completed to the emotional state of being satisfied. In modern Dutch, voldaan is most often used to express a sense of fulfilment related to outcomes, obligations, or achievements.

Usage and nuances: Voldaan is used predicatively with the verb zijn (Ik ben voldaan; hij is voldaan). It can also occur in passive constructions to describe a settled obligation, as in de rekening is voldaan (the bill has been paid). Compared with tevreden, voldaan emphasizes completion and fulfilment of a specific aim or requirement, whereas tevreden more generally signals a positive emotional state about a situation or result.

See also and related terms: Tevreden (satisfied), vervuld (fulfilled), voltooien (to complete), voltooid verleden tijd (perfect aspect in Dutch grammar). Voldaan is more common in formal or written Dutch and in contexts involving obligations, payments, or outcomes that have been successfully achieved.

Examples: Na een lange dag werken voelde hij zich voldaan. De betaling is voldaan. The use in context often centers on outcomes being completed and one’s sense of fulfilment as a result.