voorjaars

Voorjaars is a Dutch term used as an attributive adjective to denote spring-related things, particularly those associated with the early part of the spring season. The word is formed from voorjaar, meaning the early spring, with the suffix -s used to function as a prefix in compounds. It is commonly written as one word in such compounds and does not require a hyphen.

The term appears mainly in marketing, fashion, media, and planning contexts. Typical compounds include voorjaarsvakantie (spring break), voorjaarscollectie (spring collection), voorjaarsuitverkoop or voorjaarsopruiming (spring sale/clearance), and voorjaarscampagne (spring campaign). These usages emphasize the early or transitional phase of spring rather than the whole season.

In everyday language, lente is the standard word for the season in Dutch, while voorjaars tends to be employed to signal an early-spring focus in promotional material, product lines, or events. Regional and stylistic differences can influence preference, but voorjaars is widely understood in the Netherlands and Flanders as a way to label early spring-related topics.

Plural and derivations occur in compounds rather than as standalone forms. For example, voorjaarsvakanties is used for multiple spring holidays rather than a single term. The concept complements other seasonal prefixes such as zomer-, herfst-, and winter- in Dutch vocabulary.

See also: lente, seizoen, seasonality.