afdaalt

Afdaalt is a form linked to the Dutch verb afdalen, which means to descend or go down. In standard Dutch, the present tense is formed by splitting the prefix: daalt af. For example, De trein daalt af naar het perron. The spelling afdaalt is not the conventional form and is generally regarded as nonstandard or a typographical variant, though it may appear in informal writing or on signs where spacing is limited.

Morphology and usage: The base verb is afdalen; the past tense is daalde af, and the past participle is afgedaald. The sense covers both physical descent (a vehicle or person moving downward) and figurative decreases (levels, amounts, or values).

Etymology and grammar: Afdalen combines the prefix af- (down, away) with dalen (to descend). In Dutch, many separable verbs are written with the prefix separated in the present tense, so “daalt af” is the standard order, while “afdaalt” is typically viewed as an orthographic or stylistic variant rather than a separate lexical entry.

See also: afdalen, dalen, daling, afname.