zaak

Dutch

Etymology

From Middle Dutch sāke, from Old Dutch *saka, from Proto-West Germanic *saku, from Proto-Germanic *sakō.

Cognate with English sake, West Frisian saak (“cause; business”), Low German Saak, German Sache (“thing; matter; cause; legal cause”), Yiddish זאַך (zakh), Danish sag, Swedish and Norwegian sak, Gothic 𐍃𐌰𐌺𐌾𐍉 (sakjō, “dispute, argument”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /zaːk/

• audio

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• Hyphenation: zaak
• Rhymes: -aːk

Noun

zaak f (plural zaken, diminutive zaakje n)

1. A thing, matter (general term with for a concept other than animate beings).

   Synonym: ding

2. A matter, affair, business.

   Synonyms: kwestie, vraagstuk

   Het is voor de gemeente ook een lastige zaak.

   It's also a cumbersome matter for the municipality.

   Wat je in je prive leven doet is je zaak.

   What you do in your private life is your business.

3. A business, commercial enterprise, store, shop.

   Synonyms: bedrijf, handel, onderneming, winkel

4. (law) A court case, law suit.

   Synonym: rechtszaak

Derived terms

• daadzaak
• erezaak
• inzake
• minister van Buitenlandse Zaken
• publieke zaak
• terzake
• zaakwaarnemer

- business

• kledingzaak
• zaakvoerder
• zakelijk
• zakendoen
• zakendistrict
• zakenman
• zakenvrouw

- legal

• halszaak
• moordzaak

Descendants

• Negerhollands: saake, saek
• → Caribbean Javanese: sag