tegelijk

Tegelijk is a common Dutch word meaning “at the same time” or “simultaneous.” It functions as an adverb and, when used attributively, as an adjective describing two or more things that occur concurrently. In everyday speech it is used to describe events, actions, or conditions happening together or within the same period.

The word is often combined with other words to express simultaneity. The phrase “tegelijk met” means “at the same time as,” and the more formal compound “tegelijkertijd” translates to “simultaneously.” Tegelijk can also modify verbs directly, as in phrases describing concurrent actions.

Examples:

- De twee gebeurtenissen vonden tegelijk plaats.

- Ze werkte tegelijk aan meerdere projecten.

- We luisteren tegelijk naar de muziek.

Relation to related terms:

A related Dutch term is gelijktijdig, which is frequently used in more formal or technical contexts to mean “concurrent” or “occurring at the same moment.” Tegelijk and gelijktijdig reflect related but slightly different nuances of simultaneity in Dutch.

Origin and cognates:

Tegelijk is a native Dutch word from the Germanic language family. Its closest equivalents appear in other Germanic languages, such as German gleichzeitig, which carries a similar meaning of simultaneousness.