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B2 noun 2 Min. Lesezeit

afkomst

Jetzt üben Beispiele Notizen & Tipps

§ What 'Afkomst' Means

DEFINITION: The origin or background of a person. This can refer to their nationality, ethnicity, family history, or even social background.

When you talk about someone's 'afkomst', you're generally referring to where they come from in terms of their roots. It's a broad term that covers a lot of ground, so pay attention to the context to understand the specific nuance.

§ How to use 'afkomst' in a sentence

'Afkomst' is a noun, and it's almost always used in relation to a person or group of people. You'll often see it with prepositions like 'van' (from) or 'met' (with).

Here are some common ways to use 'afkomst':

To state someone's origin:

Hij is van Marokkaanse afkomst.

*He is of Moroccan origin/background.*

Zij heeft een Nederlandse afkomst.

*She has a Dutch background.*

When discussing diversity:

Het bedrijf waardeert medewerkers van verschillende afkomst.

*The company values employees of different origins.*

To describe family history:

Zijn familie heeft een rijke afkomst uit de boerenstand.

*His family has a rich background from the farming class.*

§ Common phrases with 'afkomst'

Van welke afkomst bent u? (What is your origin?)
Van welke afkomst bent u, als ik vragen mag?
*What is your background, if I may ask?*
Ongeacht afkomst (Regardless of origin)
Iedereen is welkom, ongeacht afkomst.
*Everyone is welcome, regardless of origin.*
Dubbele afkomst (Dual background/heritage)
Zij heeft een dubbele afkomst, Pools en Nederlands.
*She has a dual background, Polish and Dutch.*

When you're trying to describe someone's background, 'afkomst' is a solid word to have in your vocabulary. Just remember to use it for people and their heritage, and you'll be using it correctly.

Beispiele nach Niveau

Wat is jouw afkomst?

What is your origin/background?

Haar afkomst is onbekend.

Her origin/background is unknown.

De afkomst van de familie gaat ver terug.

The family's origin/background goes way back.

Mensen van verschillende afkomst wonen hier samen.

People of different origins/backgrounds live together here.

De afkomst van dit product is Nederlands.

The origin/background of this product is Dutch.

Zijn afkomst is een belangrijke deel van zijn identiteit.

His origin/background is an important part of his identity.

Ongeacht je afkomst, iedereen is welkom.

Regardless of your origin/background, everyone is welcome.

De afkomst van de taal is Germaans.

The origin/background of the language is Germanic.

Redewendungen & Ausdrücke

"van goede afkomst zijn"

to be of good lineage/background

Zij is van goede afkomst, wat in die kringen veel betekent. (She is of good background, which means a lot in those circles.)

neutral

"zijn afkomst verloochenen"

to deny one's origins

Hij probeerde zijn afkomst te verloochenen, maar zijn accent verried hem. (He tried to deny his origins, but his accent gave him away.)

neutral

"ongeacht afkomst"

regardless of origin

Iedereen is welkom, ongeacht afkomst of religie. (Everyone is welcome, regardless of origin or religion.)

neutral

"met betrekking tot afkomst"

concerning origin

Met betrekking tot afkomst zijn er veel vooroordelen. (Concerning origin, there are many prejudices.)

formal

"een diverse afkomst hebben"

to have a diverse background

De stad kent veel mensen met een diverse afkomst. (The city has many people with a diverse background.)

neutral

"afkomst is geen garantie"

origin is no guarantee

Afkomst is geen garantie voor succes, je moet er zelf hard voor werken. (Origin is no guarantee for success, you have to work hard for it yourself.)

neutral

"teruggaan naar de afkomst"

to go back to the origin

Voor het onderzoek moesten we teruggaan naar de afkomst van de bronnen. (For the research, we had to go back to the origin of the sources.)

neutral

"door afkomst bepaald"

determined by origin

Zijn positie werd deels door afkomst bepaald. (His position was partly determined by origin.)

neutral

"van eenvoudige afkomst"

of humble origin

Ondanks zijn eenvoudige afkomst heeft hij veel bereikt. (Despite his humble origin, he has achieved a lot.)

neutral

"zonder onderscheid van afkomst"

without distinction of origin

De wet geldt voor iedereen, zonder onderscheid van afkomst. (The law applies to everyone, without distinction of origin.)

formal

Tipps

Pronounce it right

Listen to the pronunciation of afkomst from a native speaker. The 'f' is pronounced like in 'off', and the 'o' is like in 'cot'.

Related words

Think of related English words like origin, descent, or background to help you remember afkomst.

Use it in a sentence

Try forming simple sentences with afkomst. For example, 'Wat is jouw afkomst?' (What is your origin?)

Context is key

Notice how afkomst is used in different contexts. It often refers to a person's heritage or where they come from.

Don't confuse with 'komst'

While 'komst' means arrival, 'afkomst' specifically refers to origin or background. The 'af-' prefix changes the meaning.

Cultural nuance

In Dutch society, discussing afkomst can sometimes be a sensitive topic, especially in conversations about identity or integration.

Practice regularly

Revisit afkomst and its meaning frequently. Spaced repetition helps embed new vocabulary.

Formal vs. informal

Afkomst is a neutral term suitable for both formal and informal conversations about a person's background.

Avoid direct translation

While 'origin' is a good translation, remember that afkomst specifically refers to a person's background, not the origin of an object, for example.

Flashcard creation

Create a flashcard for afkomst with its definition, an example sentence, and perhaps a small drawing or icon to aid memory.