gestelde

gestelde is the past participle of the Dutch verb stellen (to place, to set, to pose). In modern Dutch it functions primarily as an attributive adjective, indicating that something has been set, stated, or posed. The form gestelde is used when the participle agrees with the noun in gender and number, as in de gestelde vraag (the question that was posed) or de gestelde normen (the standards that have been set). In plural, many common phrases occur as de gestelde vragen or de gestelde doelstellingen.

Etymology and grammar: ge- is the typical prefix for Dutch past participles, and stellen yields gesteld. When used attributively, the participle often takes the -e ending to agree with a definite noun phrase, producing gestelde. The participle can also appear in fixed phrases such as veelgestelde vragen, which translates to frequently asked questions, even though the root uses dezelfde participle stem.

Usage and nuance: gesteld conveys that something has been determined, declared, or established in advance, often by authorities, institutions, or common practice. It is common in formal, administrative, legal, and journalistic language. It can refer to questions, criteria, norms, goals, or statements that have been issued or defined. The related form gesteldheid or gesteldheidgeving is less common but appears in broader contexts to indicate a stated condition or policy.

Examples: de gestelde vraag, de gestelde normen, de gestelde doelen, veelgestelde vragen. Predicative use (as part of verb phrases) typically uses is or zijn met andere participles; gestelde as an adjective appears in attributive position, not as the main predicate.

See also: stellen, gesteld, stelling, doelstelling.