volgens

According to

Level 2

Use volgens to say 'according to'. It is a natural way to express 'in my opinion' (volgens mij) or to cite a source in everyday Dutch.

How It Works

The preposition volgens is essential for attributing information to a source or indicating adherence to a standard.

1. Expressing Opinions vs. Facts
The phrase volgens mij is a standard way to say 'in my opinion' or 'I think'. It is often used for things that could be factually checked (e.g., 'Volgens mij gaat het regenen'). Another common way to express a thought or hypothesis is using ik denk dat.... For subjective tastes or values, use the verb vinden (e.g., 'Ik vind deze film leuk').

2. Following Rules and Plans
Beyond citing people, volgens means 'in accordance with' or 'following'. It is used for rules, laws, or instructions.

  • Volgens de regels... (According to the rules...)
  • Volgens het plan... (According to the plan...)
  • Volgens de wet... (According to the law...)

3. Citing Sources
You can use it with any source of information: people, documents, or objects.

  • Volgens de krant... (According to the newspaper...)
  • Volgens de dokter... (According to the doctor...)
  • Volgens mijn horloge... (According to my watch...)

4. Word Order (Inversion)
Because volgens mij often starts a sentence, it triggers inversion. This means the verb must come immediately after the phrase, followed by the subject.

5. Pronoun Forms
Always use object pronouns after volgens:

  • Volgens mij (me)
  • Volgens jou/u (you informal/formal)
  • Volgens hem/haar (him/her)
  • Volgens ons (us)
  • Volgens jullie/hen (you plural/them)

Examples (4)

  1. Volgens de krant gaat het morgen regenen.

    According to the newspaper, it is going to rain tomorrow.

    Word by Word: According to the newspaper goes it tomorrow rain.

    Here, 'volgens' identifies the newspaper as the source of the weather forecast.

  2. Volgens mij heb je gelijk.

    I think you are right.

    Word by Word: According to me have you right.

    This is the most common way to express a personal opinion or a hunch in Dutch.

  3. Alles gaat volgens plan.

    Everything is going according to plan.

    Word by Word: Everything goes according to plan.

    A common fixed expression using 'volgens' with an abstract noun.

  4. Volgens hem is de winkel al dicht.

    According to him, the shop is already closed.

    Word by Word: According to him is the shop already closed.

    Note the use of the object pronoun 'hem' and the verb-subject inversion.

Common Mistakes

  • Forgetting verb-second inversion after starting with 'volgens mij'.

    Volgens mij ik ben te laat.
    Volgens mij ben ik te laat.

    In Dutch, the conjugated verb must be the second element. 'Volgens mij' counts as the first element, so the verb 'ben' must come next.

  • Using subject pronouns instead of object pronouns.

    Volgens ik is het koud.
    Volgens mij is het koud.

    Prepositions like 'volgens' always require the object form of the pronoun (mij, jou, hem, etc.).

  • Confusing 'volgens' (according to) with 'volgende' (next).

    Volgens week ga ik op vakantie.
    Volgende week ga ik op vakantie.

    'Volgens' is a preposition for sources. 'Volgende' is an adjective meaning 'next' or 'following'.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

volgensLevel 2According to

Learn This First

To use 'volgens' (according to) effectively, you need to understand how to refer to people using object pronouns, as the most common usage is 'volgens mij' (in my opinion). Additionally, because 'volgens' phrases often start a sentence, you should be comfortable with basic word order and how to negate statements.

Words in This Pattern

volgens