wat betreft

Regarding/As for

Level 4

Use wat betreft to isolate a specific topic you want to comment on. It can appear as a fixed unit (wat betreft de kosten) or split (wat de kosten betreft).

How It Works

The expression wat betreft is a versatile tool for setting the frame of a sentence.

1. Two Main Structures
There are two ways to use this pattern with nouns:

  • Prepositional (Fixed): Wat betreft + [Noun Phrase]. Example: Wat betreft het plan...
  • Circumpositional (Split): Wat + [Noun Phrase] + betreft. Example: Wat het plan betreft...

Both are considered correct in modern Dutch, though the split version is slightly more traditional.

2. The Pronoun Rule
When using a personal pronoun (like mij, jou, or ons), you must use the split construction. You cannot say *wat betreft mij; it must be wat mij betreft (as far as I'm concerned).

3. Word Order and Inversion
Because wat betreft... often starts a sentence, it occupies the first position. According to the verb-second rule, the main verb must come immediately after this entire phrase.

4. Singular Verb Form
Even if the noun following it is plural, the verb betreft always stays in the third-person singular. This is because the grammatical subject is the relative pronoun wat, not the noun itself.

Examples (4)

  1. Wat de kosten betreft, hoeft u zich geen zorgen te maken.

    As for the costs, you don't need to worry.

    Word by Word: What the costs concern, need you yourself no worries to make.

    This uses the split construction. Note the inversion: the verb 'hoeft' comes immediately after the topic phrase.

  2. Wat betreft de nieuwe regels is er nog veel onduidelijkheid.

    Regarding the new rules, there is still much lack of clarity.

    Word by Word: What concerns the new rules is there still much lack-of-clarity.

    This uses the fixed prepositional unit. Even though 'regels' is plural, 'betreft' remains singular.

  3. Wat mij betreft gaan we morgen naar het strand.

    As far as I'm concerned, we're going to the beach tomorrow.

    Word by Word: What me concerns go we tomorrow to the beach.

    With a pronoun like 'mij', the split construction is mandatory.

  4. Voor wat betreft de planning zijn er geen wijzigingen.

    As far as the planning is concerned, there are no changes.

    Word by Word: For what concerns the planning are there no changes.

    The addition of 'voor' makes the expression slightly more formal.

Common Mistakes

  • Forgetting verb-second inversion after the topic phrase.

    Wat betreft het weer, wij blijven thuis.
    Wat betreft het weer blijven wij thuis.

    The phrase 'wat betreft het weer' is normally the first element, so the verb 'blijven' comes next. Setting the phrase off with a comma and then adding a full clause is loose spoken style.

  • Placing a pronoun directly after 'wat betreft'.

    Wat betreft hem is alles geregeld.
    Wat hem betreft is alles geregeld.

    With a personal pronoun, the usual order is 'wat' + pronoun + 'betreft': 'wat hem betreft'. 'Wat betreft hem' sounds unnatural.

  • Pluralizing the verb for plural nouns.

    Wat betreffen de boeken...
    Wat betreft de boeken...

    The verb 'betreft' always stays singular because 'wat' is the subject.

How It Connects

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

wat betreftLevel 4Regarding/As for

Learn This First

To understand 'wat betreft', a learner needs to be familiar with the interrogative/relative pronoun 'wat' and basic verb conjugation, as 'betreft' is a conjugated form of 'betreffen'. Additionally, since this pattern is used to introduce a noun-based topic, knowledge of the Dutch article system is essential for forming complete sentences.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

wat betreftbetreffen