hebbenhouden

Hebbenhouden is a Dutch term that appears mainly in formal, legal, or fixed expressions. In standard usage the more common form is two separate words, hebben behouden, meaning to have kept or to have retained something. The single-word form vragen of nadenken about is rare and often avoided in everyday language; in most contexts Dutch speakers would spell it as two words or use alternative phrases such as in bezit hebben en houden.

Etymology and meaning

The term derives from the combination of hebben (to have) and houden (to hold/keep). It conveys the notion of possession that is not merely acquired but retained over time. The core idea is ongoing possession or retention rather than mere ownership at a single moment.

Usage and contexts

Hebbenhouden tends to occur in legal, administrative, or formal writing. It commonly appears in phrases such as het hebben en houden van goederen, rights, of bevoegdheden, where it emphasizes both the fact of possession and the continued keeping of that possession. In religious or ceremonial language, fixed expressions like hebben en houden can also be encountered, notably in vows or formal declarations.

Nuance and related expressions

The concept is closely related to bezit (possession or ownership) and houden (to hold/keep). While bezit focuses on ownership, hebben en houden emphasizes the act of retaining possession. In everyday Dutch, speakers usually opt for clearer constructions such as in bezit hebben en houden of behouden houden, depending on context.

Examples

- De onderneming heeft lange tijd het eigendomsrecht behouden en kan dit aantonen.

- Het contract bevestigt het hebben en houden van het recht op de grond.

- In de notariële documenten wordt vaak gesproken over het hebben en houden van eigendommen.

See also

Bezit, houden, behouden, hebben en houden (fixed expression).