Nominal Style

Level 6

The naamwoordstijl (nominal style) is a formal way of writing where actions are expressed as nouns rather than verbs. Instead of saying 'We decided,' you say 'The decision was made.' It is common in legal, academic, and bureaucratic Dutch.

How It Works

The naamwoordstijl is a hallmark of administrative Dutch and formal written style. While grammatically correct, it is often criticized for making text dense and difficult to read.

How it is formed:

  • Nominalization: Verbs are turned into nouns using suffixes like -ing (overweging), -atie (publicatie), or by using the nominalized infinitive (het openen).
  • Verb Stems: Many nouns are formed using the bare verb stem, sometimes with minor vowel changes (e.g., de aankoop from aankopen, or het gebruik from gebruiken).
  • Colorless Verbs (kleurloze werkwoorden): Because the main action is now a noun, the sentence needs a 'colorless' verb to function, such as worden, plaatsvinden, verrichten, or overgaan tot.
  • Prepositional Chains: Using nouns often requires multiple prepositions like van or met betrekking tot to link ideas, creating a 'heavy' sentence structure.

When to use it:
It is appropriate in scientific definitions or legal contexts where the action is a fixed concept (e.g., de stijging van de zeespiegel). However, modern Dutch writing advice suggests using the werkwoordstijl (verbal style) for better clarity and engagement, as it keeps the actor visible and the sentence dynamic.

Examples (5)

  1. De uitvoering van de werkzaamheden vindt volgende week plaats.

    The execution of the works will take place next week.

    Word by Word: The execution of the works finds next week place.

    This is nominal style. The verb 'uitvoeren' (to execute) has become the noun 'uitvoering'.

  2. We voeren de werkzaamheden volgende week uit.

    We will carry out the works next week.

    Word by Word: We carry the works next week out.

    This is the verbal style (werkwoordstijl) of the same sentence. It is more direct and easier to read.

  3. Tot beantwoording van deze vraag werd niet overgegaan.

    Proceeding to the answering of this question did not occur.

    Word by Word: To answering of this question was not proceeded.

    A very formal, bureaucratic sentence using 'beantwoording' instead of the verb 'beantwoorden'.

  4. Zij beantwoordden deze vraag niet.

    They did not answer this question.

    Word by Word: They answered this question not.

    The verbal equivalent, which clearly identifies 'they' as the ones not answering.

  5. De publicatie van het rapport leidde tot veel discussie.

    The publication of the report led to much discussion.

    Word by Word: The publication of the report led to much discussion.

    Common in journalism and academia, using the noun 'publicatie' to treat the event as a fixed entity.

Common Mistakes

  • Preposition stacking (Voorzetselstapeling).

    De besluitvorming over de aanpassing van de regeling voor de financiering...
    Het besluit om de financieringsregeling aan te passen...

    Using too many nouns forces you to use long chains of prepositions (van, voor, over), which makes the logic of the sentence hard to follow.

  • Using nominal style in casual speech.

    Different MeaningIk ga over tot de bereiding van het avondeten.
    Ik ga koken.

    Using nominal style in conversation sounds unnaturally stiff, robotic, or like you are mocking a civil servant.

How It Connects

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

Nominal StyleLevel 6

Learn This First

To understand 'naamwoordstijl' (Nominal Style), you must first be comfortable with the various ways Dutch turns verbs into nouns (nominalization) and how to link these new nouns to their objects using prepositions like 'van'.