meegaan

Meegaan is a Dutch verb meaning to go along with someone or something, to accompany another person, or to join in an activity or plan. In English, it is often rendered as “to go along” or “to come along.”

Etymology and grammar: Meegaan is formed by the verb gaan with the prefix mee-, which conveys accompaniment or togetherness. It is a separable verb in Dutch; in present tense the prefix typically splits from the stem: ik ga mee, jij gaat mee, hij gaat mee. The past tense is formed with ging mee (Ik ging mee), and the present perfect uses the past participle meeggegaan or meegegaan depending on spelling conventions, typically: wij zijn meegegaan or wij zijn meegegaan, meaning “we have gone along.” The prepositional use is often with met: meegaan met de plannen (to go along with the plans).

Usage and nuances: Meegaan emphasizes accompaniment or alignment with someone else’s actions or a plan, whether physical presence or agreement. It is distinct from meedoen, which centers on participating in an activity itself rather than merely accompanying. Examples: Ik ga mee naar het feest. (I am going along to the party.) Zullen we met de groep meereizen? (Shall we travel along with the group?) Wees cautious with tense and prefix placement in longer sentences: ik ben meeging mee? No; correct forms are ik ben meegegaan and wij zijn meegaan Dutch spelling is: wij zijn meegegaan.

Related terms: Meelopen (to walk along, to accompany by walking), meedoen (to participate in an activity), and meegaan met (to go along with or agree to a plan). See also Dutch dictionaries such as van Dale and etymological resources for further details on usage and historical development.