nieuwen

Nieuw en is a Dutch verb whose most common modern form is vernieuwen, meaning to renew, refresh, or modernize something. In contemporary use, vernieuwen is the standard term for making something new again or updating it. The form nieuwen exists primarily in historical texts, archaic or regional language, and in discussions of the Dutch language itself; in everyday speech it is rarely encountered.

Etymology and related terms: The verb is built from nieuw, meaning new, with the infinitive suffix -en. The prefixed form vernieuwen adds ver- to convey the idea of making anew. A common derivative is vernieuwing, meaning renewal or renovation. The distinction between vernieuwen (to renew) and synonyms like herstellen or opfrissen is that vernieuwen emphasizes re-creating or updating to a new state.

Usage and conjugation: In modern Dutch, vernieuwen conjugates regularly. Present tense: ik vernieuw, jij vernieuwt, hij vernieuwt, wij vernieuwen, jullie vernieuwen, zij vernieuwen. Past tense (simple past): ik vernieuwde, jij vernieuwde, hij vernieuwde, wij vernieuwden, jullie vernieuwden, zij vernieuwden. Present perfect: ik heb vernieuwd, jij hebt vernieuwd, hij heeft vernieuwd, etc. The past participle is vernieuwd. Because nieuwen is largely obsolete, most references use vernieuwen as the standard form for all conjugations.

See also: vernieuwing, vernieuwend, vernieuwen in Dutch language history, Dutch verbs with prefix ver-.