vrijwel

Vrijwel is a Dutch adverb meaning almost or nearly, used to indicate that something is true to a high degree without being complete. It can modify adjectives, past participles, or entire clauses, and is common in both spoken and written Dutch.

Usage and nuance

Vrijwel often appears before adjectives or participles to express a high degree of approximation. Examples include vrijwel zeker (almost certainly), vrijwel onmogelijk (almost impossible), and vrijwel onbekend (almost unknown). It can also modify statements with negation, as in vrijwel niemand (almost no one) or vrijwel nooit (almost never). Compared with bijna, vrijwel tends to carry a slightly stronger sense of proximity to the threshold of being true, while bijna might be perceived as softer or more everyday. In formal or technical contexts, synonyms such as nagenoeg or vrijwel are sometimes preferred, but vrij wel remains widely understood and accepted.

Synonyms and distinctions

Common Dutch equivalents are bijna, nagenoeg, and vrijwel. While all convey near-certainty or near-completeness, vrijheid-like nuances differ: bijna is the everyday default for “almost,” nagenoeg is more formal or technical, and vrijwel emphasizes the practical closeness to a state without reaching it.

Etymology and register

Vrijwel is a compound of vrij and wel, with wel functioning as an intensifier. The sense has developed into “almost” or “virtually” in standard Dutch and is used across the Netherlands and Flanders. It is considered neutral to moderately formal in tone and is appropriate in encyclopedic or informative writing.