aanvalt

Aanvalt is the third-person singular present tense form of the Dutch verb aanvallen, meaning to attack or to begin an offensive action. In standard Dutch, separable-prefix verbs like aanvallen are written with the prefix separated in finite forms, so the normal present tense is hij valt aan and zij vallen aan. The single-word form aanvalt is not the conventional spelling in contemporary prose; the infinitive is aanvallen and the past participle is aangevallen.

Etymology and form: The verb combines the prefix aan- with vallen (to fall), giving a literal sense of falling upon or moving toward a target. The construction allows both literal and metaphorical meanings, from military offensives to competitive or argumentative contexts.

Usage: Aanvallen is used for physical attacks, military offensives, sports plays that push forward toward a goal, or metaphorical assaults on ideas or arguments. Examples: De soldaten vallen aan. (The soldiers attack.) Het team valt aan in de tweede helft. (The team launches an attack in the second half.) Hij valt zijn tegenstander aan. (He attacks his opponent.) De auteur valt de tegenargumenten aan. (The author attacks the counterarguments.)

Related terms: The noun form is aanval (an attack). The past tense is viel aan, and the perfect tense is aangevallen (he has attacked). Related verbs include aanvallend (adjective form meaning offensive), aanvaller (attacker), and aanvalsplan (attack plan).

See also: aanval, aanvallen, aangevallen, aanvalstactiek. The concept is common across sports, military contexts, and rhetorical critique, reflecting the broad use of attack as a dynamic action.