bestanden

Bestanden is a Dutch noun that most commonly refers to digital files or documents, but can also denote a collection or inventory in more general contexts. The singular form is bestand.

In computing, een bestand is a discrete unit of stored data on a computer or other storage medium. Bestanden have attributes such as a name, an extension that indicates the format (for example, .txt, .pdf, .docx, .jpg), a size, and timestamps for creation or modification. File management involves creating, renaming, moving, copying, deleting, and organizing bestanden within folders or directories. The concept of bestanden is central to operating systems, software applications, and data organization, and it is common to back up or version bestanden to protect against data loss or to track changes.

In Dutch, bestand can also mean an inventory, dataset, or collection of records kept for reference or administrative purposes. In this sense, bestanden may refer to lists of products, customers, or archival records, and they are often stored in databases or document repositories.

Usage examples include: “Ik heb drie bestanden geopend” (I opened three files) or “De bestanden zijn opgeslagen in de map Documenten” (The files are saved in the Documents folder). The plural form bestanden is used for both digital files and non-digital collections, depending on context.