Understanding contracts
Esta lição ainda não está disponível na tua língua — aparece em inglês.
Vocabulário
- het contractcontract
- de overeenkomstagreement
- de clausuleclause
- de partijparty (legal)
- de opzegtermijnnotice period
- de aansprakelijkheidliability
- de verplichtingobligation
- ondertekenento sign
- hierbijhereby
- dient teis obliged to
- de voorwaardenterms, conditions
- ontbindento dissolve, terminate
Formal Legal Language: Dient te & Hierbij
Dutch legal and administrative texts use distinctive formal constructions that differ significantly from everyday language.
Dient te + infinitive expresses formal obligation (stronger than moet):
- De huurder dient de woning in goede staat te onderhouden. — The tenant is obliged to maintain the property in good condition.
- Men dient zich aan de voorwaarden te houden. — One is obliged to comply with the conditions.
Hierbij (hereby) introduces formal declarations:
- Hierbij verklaar ik dat... — I hereby declare that...
- Hierbij wordt de overeenkomst ontbonden. — The agreement is hereby terminated.
Other formal legal markers:
- Krachtens (by virtue of): Krachtens artikel 5... — By virtue of article 5...
- Ingevolge (pursuant to): Ingevolge de wet... — Pursuant to the law...
- Tenzij anders overeengekomen — Unless otherwise agreed.
Legal Dutch prefers the passive voice and impersonal constructions:
- Er wordt verwacht dat beide partijen... — It is expected that both parties...
Understanding these patterns helps you navigate contracts, rental agreements, and official documents.
Expressões
- Hierbij verklaar ik dat...I hereby declare that...
- De huurder dient te betalen.The tenant is obliged to pay.
- Krachtens artikel 3 van de wet.By virtue of article 3 of the law.
- Tenzij anders overeengekomen.Unless otherwise agreed.
- De overeenkomst wordt ontbonden.The agreement is terminated.
- Beide partijen zijn aansprakelijk.Both parties are liable.
Erros frequentes
De huurder dient de woning onderhouden.De huurder dient de woning te onderhouden.Dient requires te before the infinitive — dient te + infinitive is the correct pattern.
Hierbij ik verklaar dat...Hierbij verklaar ik dat...After hierbij, the verb comes before the subject (inversion after an adverb in first position).
Krachtens de artikel 5...Krachtens artikel 5...Article numbers do not take the definite article in legal Dutch.
De overeenkomst is ontbonden worden.De overeenkomst wordt ontbonden.Use the simple present passive (wordt ontbonden), not a double construction.
Tenzij anders is overeengekomen.Tenzij anders overeengekomen.In this fixed legal phrase, the auxiliary is is omitted for brevity.
Quiz rápido
Pergunta 1 de 5
Como se diz «obligation» em holandês?
O verdadeiro tutor de holandês vive na app
Ler é um começo — o Mio foi feito para praticar. A app acrescenta tudo o que a web não consegue fazer:
- Conversa
Conversas por voz a sério com o teu tutor de IA
- Escuta
Histórias e diálogos curtos com perguntas de compreensão
- Cartões inteligentes
Repetição espaçada que mostra as palavras mesmo antes de as esqueceres
- O teu treinador Mio
Segue os teus erros e monta um plano diário à volta dos teus pontos fracos