serieus

Serieus is a Dutch adjective meaning serious, earnest, or grave. It describes people, actions, or matters that are not light-hearted and require careful consideration. In everyday use, serious denotes a tone of importance or formality. Common examples include een serieuze zaak (a serious matter), een serieuze kandidaat (a serious candidate), and een serieuze toon (a serious tone).

Etymology and scope: the word derives from the French sérieux, which itself comes from Latin serius. The Dutch form entered the language through historical contact with French and has been part of Dutch vocabulary since the early modern period. In usage, serious corresponds to the English word serious, but it functions within Dutch grammar and idiom.

Usage notes: serious marks gravity or a non-frivolous attitude and can accompany intensifiers such as zeer serieus (very serious). When placed before a noun, the attributive form typically takes the serieuze: een serieuze zaak, de serieuze kandidaat. In predicative position, the adjective remains seri ous in form: Het is serieus. The term is common in formal writing, journalism, and everyday speech.

Notes on scope: in Dutch-language contexts, serieus may appear in branding, titles, or slogans, where it can be used as a proper noun or stylized name. Outside of Dutch, the word is not generally used as a fixed term; speakers may render its sense with the English word serious or with context-appropriate equivalents.