bescheiden

Bescheiden is a Dutch adjective meaning modest, unassuming, or restrained in one’s claims, possessions, or behavior. It can describe a person who avoids boasting about abilities or achievements, or refer to something that is not large or extravagant, such as een bescheiden woning (a modest house) or een bescheiden loon (a modest salary). The term generally carries connotations of tact, propriety, and restraint rather than lack of ambition.

Usage and nuance: Bescheiden implies self-restraint and politeness in social interaction. It is often valued in both formal and informal contexts. It is distinct from nederig, which can imply a more subservient attitude, and from sober or eenvoudig, which emphasize simplicity or austerity. In professional or media language, describing a leader, project, or result as bescheiden can signal tasteful understatement rather than arrogance.

Related forms: The related noun is bescheidenheid, meaning modesty or humility, used when discussing temperament, values, or cultural norms. The adverbial expression met bescheidenheid translates roughly to “with modesty.” Phrases such as ‘een bescheiden begin’ or ‘een bescheiden succes’ are common in everyday Dutch.

See also: bescheidenheid, nederigheid, modesty.