waarschuw

Waarschuw is a Dutch verb meaning to warn or alert someone to danger, risk, or a need for caution. It is used to inform another person about a potential problem or to preempt harm. The verb is transitive, so it generally takes a direct object describing what is being warned about (for example, a person, a situation, or a risk). It is common in everyday speech as well as in safety instructions, journalism, technology, and public notices.

Conjugation and forms: The infinitive is waarschuwen. Present tense forms include ik waarschuw, jij waarschuwt, hij waarschuwt, wij waarschuwen, jullie waarschuwen, zij waarschuwen. The imperative mood includes waarschuw (singular informal) and waarschuwt (plural informal); the formal imperative is Waarschuwt u. The noun form is waarschuwing, meaning a warning or warning message, as in "een waarschuwing geven" (to give a warning) or "de waarschuwing in het bericht" (the warning in the message).

Usage and context: Waarschuwen is used in many contexts, from everyday cautionary statements to formal safety communications. In weather, traffic, or cybersecurity, phrases like "waarom ik dit waarschuw" or "de app waarschuwt de gebruiker bij verdachte activiteiten" reflect its functional role. In computing, a waarschuwingsvenster or waarschuwingstekst is a typical user interface element that alerts users to potential issues.

Etymology and related terms: Waarschuwen derives from West Germanic roots related to warning and watching, with cognates in related languages such as German warnen and English warn. Related noun forms include waarschuwing and waarschuwwijze (warning method), as well as compound terms like waarschuwingsbericht (warning message) or waarschuwingssignaal (warning signal).