besteden

Besteden is a Dutch verb meaning to spend or allocate resources such as time, money, or attention to a person, activity, or goal. It is commonly used with the preposition aan to indicate what is being allocated, for example tijd besteden aan onderzoek (devote time to research) or geld besteden aan onderwijs (spend money on education). The sense is often emphasised as purposeful allocation rather than casual consumption.

Grammatical notes: Besteden is a regular verb. Present tense forms include ik besteed, jij/u besteedt, hij/zij/het besteedt; wij besteden, jullie besteden, zij besteden. The past tense is expressed as ik besteedde, jij besteedde, hij besteedde; wij besteedden, jullie besteedden, zij besteedden. The past participle is besteed. It is transitive and typically takes a direct object representing the resource (such as tijd or geld) and a prepositional phrase with aan for the target (aan iets).

Usage and nuances: Besteden can refer to time, money, attention, or effort. It is often used in formal or administrative contexts when discussing budgets or policy decisions, but it is also common in everyday speech. While similar to uitgeven (to spend money) or investeren (to invest), besteden emphasizes the act of allocating resources toward a specific purpose or objective.

Common collocations and phrases include aandacht besteden aan, tijd besteden aan, geld besteden aan, and zorg besteden aan. In contrast to more casual expressions for spending, besteden carries a deliberate undertone of purposeful devotion or allocation toward a defined aim.