Dutch · Verbs & Actions
zijn
to be
Beginnerverb
Definition
To exist or to have a quality.
Example
Ik ben een student.
I am a student.
Etymology
'Zijn' traces back to Old Dutch 'sīn', which comes from Proto-Germanic *sī(n)a. It serves as the fundamental verb of existence in the Dutch language.
How & Where It’s Used
'Zijn' is utilized in both spoken and written forms, spanning informal and formal registers, and is integral to daily conversation.