Breakdown of De voorzitter nam het voorstel in overweging.
in
in
nemen
to take (general, abstract, e.g., transport, medicine)
het
it
het voorstel
the proposal
de voorzitter
the chairperson
de overweging
the consideration (deliberation)
Questions & Answers about De voorzitter nam het voorstel in overweging.
How does in overweging nemen compare to just using the verb overwegen?
In overweging nemen is a function verb structure that means the same as overwegen (to consider), but it is much more formal. By turning the action into an abstract noun (overweging) combined with a light verb (nemen), the sentence sounds more official. This perfectly fits the context of a chairperson (voorzitter) handling a proposal (voorstel).
Could I use this phrase for everyday decisions, like considering what to have for dinner?
No, this structure belongs strictly to formal or written Dutch. You would use it for official proposals, job offers, or business decisions. For everyday choices, you would typically use nadenken over (to think about).
How do the parts of in overweging nemen split up in a sentence like this?
Even though it consists of multiple words, it behaves a bit like a separable verb in terms of word order. The conjugated verb (nam) takes the standard second position, while the noun phrase part (in overweging) is pushed toward the end of the clause. In a perfect tense, it would cluster at the end: ... heeft het voorstel in overweging genomen.
Why does the sentence use the preposition in here? Can I use a different one?
In function verb structures, the preposition is entirely fixed and cannot be swapped out based on general preposition rules. The combination is strictly iets in overweging nemen (to take something into consideration). You cannot use alternatives like tot or als here.
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