Nominalization (Nominalisatie) - Using Verbs/Adjectives as Nouns (B2)

Nominalization is the process of turning verbs or adjectives into nouns. At B2 level, you should be able to recognize and use various forms of nominalization to create more concise and formal language, which is common in written Dutch and more abstract discussions.

Common Methods of Nominalization:

1. Infinitive as Noun (Neuter Gender - het): Using the base infinitive form of the verb as a neuter noun (het-word). This typically refers to the action or process itself in a general sense.

• zwemmen (to swim) -> het zwemmen (swimming, the act of swimming)
• lezen (to read) -> het lezen (reading, the act of reading)
• leren (to learn) -> het leren (learning, the process of learning)
• roken (to smoke) -> het roken (smoking, the act of smoking)
• Example: Het zwemmen in koud water is gezond. (Swimming in cold water is healthy.)
• Example: Het voortdurend klagen irriteert me. (The continuous complaining irritates me.) - Adverbs can modify the nominalized infinitive.
• Example: Roken is hier verboden. (Smoking is forbidden here.) - Sometimes the het is omitted when used as a subject in very general statements.

1. Adding Suffixes (Commonly -ing, -heid, -te, -st):

• -ing (Often from verbs, de-words): Creates nouns referring to the result, instance, or process of the verb's action.
• regeren (to govern) -> de regering (the government)
• wandelen (to walk) -> de wandeling (the walk, the hike)
• beslissen (to decide) -> de beslissing (the decision)
• ontwikkelen (to develop) -> de ontwikkeling (the development)
• vergaderen (to meet) -> de vergadering (the meeting)
• -heid (Often from adjectives, de-words): Creates abstract nouns denoting a quality or state.
• mooi (beautiful) -> de schoonheid (beauty)
• vrij (free) -> de vrijheid (freedom)
• gezond (healthy) -> de gezondheid (health)
• zeker (certain) -> de zekerheid (certainty)
• veilig (safe) -> de veiligheid (safety)
• -te (Often from adjectives, de-words): Creates abstract nouns, often referring to dimensions or qualities.
• hoog (high) -> de hoogte (the height)
• lang (long) -> de lengte (the length)
• diep (deep) -> de diepte (the depth)
• groot (big/great) -> de grootte (the size)
• warm (warm) -> de warmte (the warmth)
• -st (Often from verbs, de-words): Can refer to arrival, acquisition, gain etc.
• komen (to come) -> de komst (the arrival)
• winnen (to win) -> de winst (the profit, gain)
• dienen (to serve) -> de dienst (the service)

1. Using Adjectives as Nouns (Referring to People): Adjectives can be used as nouns referring to people, inflected like adjectives (usually adding -e).

• ziek (sick) -> de zieke (the sick person), de zieken (the sick people)
• oud (old) -> de oude (the old person), de ouden (the old people)
• werkloos (unemployed) -> de werkloze (the unemployed person), de werklozen (the unemployed people)
• rijk (rich) -> de rijke (the rich person), de rijken (the rich people)
• Example: De overheid helpt de werklozen. (The government helps the unemployed.)

1. Using Adjectives as Abstract Nouns (Neuter - het): Adjectives can sometimes refer to the abstract quality or concept itself, often preceded by het.

• goed (good) -> het goede (the good thing, that which is good)
• kwaad (evil) -> het kwade (the evil thing, that which is evil)
• mooi (beautiful) -> het mooie (the beautiful aspect/thing)
• belangrijk (important) -> het belangrijke (the important part/thing)
• Example: We moeten het goede doen. (We must do the right/good thing.)
• Example: Ik hou van het mooie in de natuur. (I love the beauty / the beautiful things in nature.)

Importance for B2:

• Conciseness & Formality: Nominalization often makes sentences shorter and sound more formal or academic compared to using full clauses (e.g., zijn aankomst vs. het feit dat hij aankwam).
• Abstract Discussion: Essential for discussing concepts, ideas, qualities, and processes (de vrijheid, de ontwikkeling, het belang).
• Vocabulary Building: Recognizing nominalized forms helps connect related verbs, adjectives, and nouns.
• Reading Comprehension: Nominalization is frequent in news articles, reports, and academic texts.

Key Takeaways: Be aware of the different ways verbs and adjectives turn into nouns (infinitive=het-noun, common suffixes -ing, -heid, -te, -st, adjective referring to person=de/het-noun, adjective referring to concept=het-noun). Pay attention to the gender (de or het) and meaning of the resulting noun.