gemeend

Gemeend is a Dutch adjective used to express sincerity or the idea that a sentiment or gesture is genuine and intended. In contemporary Dutch it most often appears in fixed expressions that signal heartfelt meaning, rather than describing literal harshness or commonness.

The best-known uses occur in phrases such as welgemeende excuses, meaning sincerely meant apologies, and welgemeende felicitaties or gelukwensen, meaning heartfelt congratulations or best wishes. An example sentence is: Ik bied u mijn welgemeende excuses aan. In these contexts gemeend functions to intensify the sincerity of the message.

Usage and nuance: gemeend conveys a sense of authenticity and good faith. It is typically considered formal or literary and is common in written communication, such as letters, editorials, and official statements. It is often contrasted with synonyms like oprecht (genuine) or hartelijk (cordial); welgemeende emphasizes the inward intention behind the action rather than the action’s outward politeness.

Orthography and form: when used before a noun, the attributive form is usually rendered as welgemeende, as in welgemeende excuses or welgemeende felicitaties. The underlying sense remains “sincere” or “meant.” The word should not be confused with gemoed-related terms that describe mean-spiritedness or commonness; gemeend here denotes sincerity and intent.

See also: Dutch expressions of apology and congratulations, such as oprechte excuses or hartelijke felicitaties. The term is a stylistic option for conveying genuine sentiment and is most common in formal or carefully composed language.