handelen

Handelen is a Dutch verb that most commonly means to trade or to deal. It can also mean to act or to behave in a certain way, depending on the context. The infinitive is handelen; common conjugations include handelt (present), handelde (past), heeft gehandeld (present perfect). In sentences, handelen often appears with objects such as goederen or met iemand.

As a noun, handel refers to trade or commerce—the activity of buying and selling goods and services. It is used in phrases like handel drijven (to conduct trade), binnenlandse handel (domestic trade), and buitenlandse handel (foreign trade). Related terms include handelaar (trader), handelsakkoord (trade agreement), and handelsbeleid (trade policy). Adjectival forms such as handels-, appear in compounds like handelsovereenkomst. Common slogans include vrije handel (free trade) and protectionistische handel.

In economic and policy contexts, handelen describes market transactions and exchange between actors—individuals, firms, or nations. The concept encompasses both practical buying and selling and the broader regulatory framework, including tariffs, quotas, and trade agreements. In everyday language, the verb also surfaces in expressions about conduct: hoe iemand handelt translates roughly as how someone behaves or acts in a given situation. The distinction between handelen as trade and handelen as behavior is clear from context, helping speakers navigate discussions of economics and ethics alike.