Voortgaat

Voortgaat is a Dutch term that functions as the third-person singular present tense of the verb voortgaan. Voortgaan means to continue, proceed, or carry on, and voortgaat denotes that something is continuing at the present moment. The word is commonly used in neutral, descriptive language to report ongoing processes, developments, or actions.

Etymology and construction: voortgaat is built from voort-, a prefix meaning forward or onward, combined with gaan, the verb “to go.” The prefix conveys progression or continuation. Voortgaan and its inflected forms appear across formal and informal registers, including journalism, reports, and academic prose.

Usage and nuance: Voortgaat is used to describe events, processes, or trends that are not pausing but moving forward. It can refer to concrete actions (such as a project or construction) or abstract developments (such as negotiations, research, or policy). While roughly synonymous with doorgaan and verdergaan, voortgaan carries a sense of ongoing momentum along a defined path rather than a sudden or complete shift.

Grammatical notes: In typical Dutch syntax, the present tense with hij/zij/het is gaat voort; de onderhandelingen gaan voort is a standard construction. The past participle of voortgaan is voortgegaan, used with auxiliary zijn (het proces is voortgegaan) to express “has continued.” Common alternatives with similar meaning include doorgaan and verdergaan, which can carry slightly different emphases depending on context.

Examples: Het proces gaat voort ondanks tegenvallende resultaten. De onderhandelingen gingen voort tot in de avond. Nieuwe cijfers laten zien dat de economische groei voortgaat.