scouten

Scouten is a Dutch verb meaning to scout, inspect, or recruit, especially to identify talent or assess prospects. It is used across contexts such as sports, entertainment, business, and security reconnaissance. The term is a direct loan from the English verb scout and is common in Dutch and Flemish media and everyday speech.

Typical usages include talent scouting for sports teams and agencies, or market scouting in business analysis, for example: “een talent scouten” or “marktscouting doen.” In Dutch, the noun form “scouting” is also used to refer to the activity, and the youth movement Scouting Nederland uses the capitalized term for its organization and programs.

Origin and sense development: The English word scout historically referred to a person sent to obtain information or to explore. The Dutch verb “scouten” adopts this sense to describe the act of searching for people, ideas, or opportunities. The usage overlaps with other Dutch verbs such as “rondkijken” (to look around) and “onderzoeken” (to investigate).

Variations and related terms: “scout” can also refer to the person, especially in sports or entertainment recruitment, while “scouting” often denotes the activity or the organized movement (for example, Scouting as a youth organization). In non-Dutch contexts, “scouten” is less common and may be understood as a loanword.