meewerken

Meewerken is a Dutch verb meaning to cooperate or contribute to a task, to participate in performing work, often within a group or in response to a request. It describes active involvement in completing a task, rather than leading it, and can apply to employees, volunteers, researchers, or any party that helps to get something done.

Etymology and grammar: The word is formed from mee- (together) and werken (to work). It is a separable prefix verb; present tense forms include ik werk mee, jij werkt mee, hij werkt mee. In the past tense it is jij werkte mee, hij werkte mee. In the perfect tense, common constructions are ik heb meegwerkt / ik heb meegewerkt aan het project, with the latter being the more widely used form in contemporary usage.

Usage and nuance: Meewerken emphasizes active contribution rather than leadership. It is used when someone assists, participates, or fulfills a task as part of a team or in response to a request. It can overlap with samenwerken (to collaborate) but often carries a nuance of cooperative involvement, sometimes implying compliance or support rather than initiating action.

Examples and common collocations: De medewerkers werken mee aan de productie. De student heeft meegewerkt aan het onderzoek. We vragen om uw medewerking. Met medewerking van de gemeente konden de plannen worden uitgevoerd. The noun medewerking (cooperation) is frequently used in formal contexts.

Related terms: samenwerken, medewerking, medewerken. In formal communication, medewerking verlenen or beroep doen op iemands medewerking are common phrases.