navolgende

Navolgende is a Dutch adjective meaning “the following” or “the subsequent.” It is used to refer to items, clauses, or people that are listed or discussed later in the text. In formal, administrative, and legal writing, navolgende serves as a conventional marker to introduce the elements that follow.

Etymology: The term is formed from na “after” and volgende “following,” itself from volgen “to follow.” The construction mirrors similar compounds in Dutch that combine a preposition with a participle to create a determiner.

Usage: Navolgende typically precedes the noun it modifies: “de navolgende clausules” (“the following clauses”) or “de navolgende personen” (“the following persons”). In some contexts it can stand as a substantive phrase, as in “de navolgende” to mean “the following ones.” The word is relatively formal; in everyday language Dutch speakers often use “de volgende” instead.

Context: It appears in contracts, regulations, meeting minutes, notices, and academic texts. It helps to keep references concise and unambiguous, especially when enumerating several items.

Examples: The navolgende voorwaarden gelden voor alle deelnemers. De navolgende personen zijn uitgenodigd: Jan, Anna, Peter. In legal drafts, navolgende clausules bepalen de verantwoordelijkheden van elke partij.

See also: The English equivalent is “the following.” Related Dutch terms include “de volgende” for more everyday usage and “onderhavige” in some formal phrases.