sedert

Sedert is a Dutch word used as a preposition and adverb meaning “since” or “from that time.” It marks the starting point of a time period that continues to the present or to another reference point. In modern spoken Dutch, since is more common in everyday language, while sedert is often found in formal, written, or older styles and in certain fixed expressions.

Usage notes: Sedert introduces a time point or interval and is typically followed by a date, year, or time span. Examples include: “Sedert 2010 wonen we hier.” (Since 2010 we have lived here.) and “Sedert het begin van dit jaar groeit de economie langzaam.” (Since the beginning of this year the economy has grown slowly.) Sedert can occur at the beginning of a sentence or within a clause, and it usually pairs with tenses that indicate continuity or ongoing relevance.

Etymology and variants: The word originates in Middle Dutch and remains in use in Afrikaans as sedert. In contemporary Dutch, the synonym “sinds” is more commonly spoken, while “sedert” retains a more formal or literary tone and appears in official texts, journalism, and historical writing.

See also: sinds, vanaf, temporal prepositions in Dutch.

In summary, sedert is a formal Dutch temporal preposition meaning “since,” used to indicate the starting point of a period that persists to the present or to another reference point, with Afrikaans retaining the same form.