meteen

Meteen is a Dutch adverb meaning immediately or right away. It is widely used in everyday speech and writing to indicate that an action should occur without delay.

Etymology and history: Meteen is a compound-form adverb that has existed in Dutch for centuries, with roots in Early Modern Dutch. Modern dictionaries describe it as a fixed word whose core meaning is immediacy. Etymological resources note its development from a combination of elements that historically conveyed rapid action, and it is now treated as a single lexical item in contemporary Dutch.

Usage and examples: Common sentences include "Ik kom meteen" (I will come immediately) and "Doe het meteen" (Do it right away). In some contexts, especially in informal speech, it can be softened to "zo meteen" (in just a moment) without changing the essential sense of rapid action. The phrase is versatile and fits both spoken and written Dutch, though more formal writing may prefer synonyms such as onmiddellijk (immediately) or direct.

Synonyms and nuance: Closest synonyms are onmiddellijk and direct. Meteen conveys a sense of urgency or quickness, but it is not as forceful as onmiddellijk in all contexts. Its use is common across registers, from casual conversation to journalistic writing, though tone can shift slightly toward informality in very quick exchanges.

Related terms and variations: The opposite construction is not meteen negated as a fixed expression; rather, negation is achieved with niet meteen to express “not immediately.” Variants like zo meteen emphasize a very short time until action, rather than absolute immediacy.