bereden

Bereden is a Dutch verb form that functions as the past participle of berijden. The related infinitive berijden denotes the act of riding or traveling on something, such as a horse, a bicycle, or a vehicle, and of traversing a particular path or area. The past participle bereden is used with auxiliary verbs to form perfect tenses, for example in sentences like “De ruiter heeft de heuvel bereden,” meaning that the rider has ridden over the hill.

Etymology and usage notes: Berijden derives from the prefix be- added to rijden (to ride). The compound verb expresses movement across or along a surface or route and is often used in more formal, historical, or technical contexts. In everyday language, speakers may prefer simply rijden when referring to riding in general, whereas berijden emphasizes the act of crossing or traversing a specific way or landscape, and is common in equestrian, transport, and logistical texts.

Limitations and scope: Bereden is mainly a literary or technical form in modern Dutch. It is not typically used to describe casual riding beyond a single event or journey, where rijden would be more natural. The verb is also found in historical accounts, road descriptions, and manuals describing routes or the action of moving along them.

See also: Rijden; Berijden; Dutch verbs with be- prefix.