uit

Out Of/From

Level 1

The preposition uit primarily means 'out of' or 'from'. It is used for origin (nationality), moving from inside to outside, describing internal motivation, or indicating that a device or event is 'off' or 'finished'.

How It Works

In Dutch, uit is a high-frequency preposition with several key roles:

1. Origin and Identity
When stating your background, uit is essential. It indicates the 'container' of your identity (city or country).
Example: Ik kom uit België.

2. Physical Movement and Composition
It describes moving from an enclosed space to the outside. While van is the standard preposition for materials (e.g., gemaakt van hout), uit is sometimes used to emphasize the source or origin of the material.

3. Motivation and Cause
Use uit to express the reason behind an action, especially internal feelings.
Example: uit nieuwsgierigheid (out of curiosity).

4. The 'Off' State
Unlike English 'off', Dutch uses uit for appliances, lights, and events that have ended.
Example: De televisie is uit. (The TV is off.)

5. Separable Verbs
Many verbs use uit as a prefix, such as uitgaan (to go out). In simple main clauses, the uit moves to the end of the sentence.

6. Pronominal Adverbs
When you want to say 'out of it', uit changes to eruit. This is part of the er + preposition system.

Examples (6)

  1. Ik kom uit Nederland.

    I am from the Netherlands.

    Word by Word: I come out-of Netherlands.

    This is the standard way to state your origin or nationality.

  2. Zij haalt de melk uit de koelkast.

    She takes the milk out of the fridge.

    Word by Word: She fetches the milk out-of the fridge.

    Since the milk was inside the fridge (an enclosure), 'uit' is used.

  3. De lamp is uit.

    The lamp is off.

    Word by Word: The lamp is out.

    In Dutch, 'uit' is the standard word for 'off' when talking about lights or appliances.

  4. Hij doet het uit liefde.

    He does it out of love.

    Word by Word: He does it out-of love.

    Use 'uit' to describe the internal motivation or cause for an action.

  5. Wij gaan vanavond uit.

    We are going out tonight.

    Word by Word: We go tonight out.

    Here, 'uit' is part of the separable verb 'uitgaan'.

  6. De film is uit.

    The movie is over.

    Word by Word: The movie is out.

    When an event like a movie or school day has finished, you can say it is 'uit'.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'van' instead of 'uit' for origin.

    Ik ben van Duitsland.
    Ik kom uit Duitsland.

    To say where you come from, Dutch uses 'komen uit' (Ik kom uit Duitsland). 'Ik ben van' + town is also heard for a hometown (Ik ben van Utrecht), but with a country 'uit' is the normal choice.

  • Using 'uit' for open surfaces.

    Het boek valt uit de tafel.
    Het boek valt van de tafel.

    Use 'uit' only if the object was inside something. Since a table is a flat surface, use van (off/from).

How It Connects

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

uitLevel 1Out Of/From

Learn This First

To understand 'uit', learners should first be familiar with basic prepositions of place and origin. Since 'uit' often indicates movement or origin from inside a specific location, knowing 'in' and the general origin marker 'van' is essential.

Words in This Pattern