zorgen

Zorgen is a Dutch word that functions as both a verb and a noun, with related meanings linked to care, attention, and concern. It covers taking care of someone or something, as well as feelings of worry or anxiety.

As a verb, zorgen has several common uses. With the preposition voor, zorgen means to take care of or provide for: voor iemand zorgen. It can also mean to cause or bring about: Dat zorgt voor problemen. In reflexive form, zich zorgen maken means to worry: Ik maak me zorgen over de uitslag. A related construction is zorgen dat or ervoor zorgen dat, meaning to ensure: Zorg ervoor dat je op tijd komt.

As a noun, zorg or zorgen denotes care or concern. De zorg can refer to nursing, welfare, or attention, while de zorgen means worries or concerns. Examples: Zorg voor elkaar (Care for each other); Er zijn zorgen over de toekomst (There are concerns about the future).

Etymology and notes. Zorgen belongs to the Dutch-Germanic word stock; cognates exist in related languages, such as German Sorge (care, concern). The word encompasses both positive senses—providing care and attention—and negative senses—anxiety or distress—with the intended meaning determined by context and prepositional or syntactic structure.