hierbij

The Dutch word hierbij is a pronominal adverb that English speakers often find versatile yet slightly formal. At its core, it translates to 'with this', 'hereby', or 'enclosed'. It is a combination of the word 'hier' (here) and the preposition 'bij' (at/with/by). In Dutch grammar, when a preposition is combined with 'hier', 'daar', or 'waar', they often merge into these unique adverbial forms. Understanding hierbij is essential for anyone moving from basic Dutch to an intermediate level, especially if you intend to communicate in professional or semi-formal settings. It functions as a linguistic pointer, indicating that something is being presented, attached, or declared in the immediate context of the communication.

Literal Meaning

The literal translation is 'at here', but it functions as 'with this' or 'attached to this communication'.

Functional Usage

Used primarily to introduce attachments in emails, to make official declarations, or to hand something over physically.

In everyday life, you might hear a waiter say "Hierbij uw koffie" as they set the cup down. While 'alstublieft' is more common for 'here you go', hierbij adds a specific nuance of 'herewith' or 'attached to this moment'. In the digital age, its most frequent home is in the first sentence of an email. If you are sending a CV, a photo, or a report, hierbij is your best friend. It bridges the gap between the message and the file. Without it, your sentences might feel disjointed or overly simplistic. It serves as a signpost, telling the reader: 'Look at what is accompanying this message'.

Email Protocol

Standard way to mention attachments: "Hierbij de bijlage" (Herewith the attachment).

Furthermore, the word has a performative aspect. In legal or official contexts, saying hierbij actually performs the action it describes. For example, "Hierbij verklaar ik de vergadering voor geopend" (I hereby declare the meeting open). The act of saying it is the act of opening the meeting. This makes it a powerful tool in administrative Dutch. It is also used to indicate a connection between two events happening at the same time or as a result of one another. If you are quitting a job, your letter will almost certainly start with "Hierbij neem ik ontslag". It is direct, professional, and leaves no room for ambiguity.

Using hierbij correctly requires an understanding of Dutch word order, specifically the V2 rule (verb-second). When you start a sentence with hierbij, the conjugated verb must follow immediately, followed by the subject. This is one of the most common pitfalls for English speakers who want to say 'With this I send...' (Hierbij ik stuur...), which is incorrect. The correct structure is always 'Hierbij stuur ik...'. This word is a 'prepositional adverb', a category of words that replace a preposition + 'het' or 'dit'. Instead of saying 'bij dit' (at/with this), which sounds clumsy or ungrammatical in many contexts, Dutch uses hierbij.

The V2 Rule

Hierbij [Verb] [Subject] ... (e.g., Hierbij stuur ik u...)

You can also use hierbij in the middle of a sentence, though it is less common for introducing attachments. For example: "De documenten die hierbij horen, zijn vertrouwelijk." (The documents that belong with this/belong here, are confidential). Here, hierbij refers back to a previously mentioned topic or object. It acts as a glue, sticking the new information to the existing context. It's particularly useful in instructions. "Let hierbij vooral op de veiligheid." (In doing this/With this, pay special attention to safety). In this case, it refers to the action being performed.

Common Contexts

1. Business Emails (Attachments)
2. Official Statements (Declarations)
3. Physical Handovers (Rare but possible)
4. Referencing a current action.

In more complex sentences, hierbij can be split in some dialects or older forms, but in modern Standard Dutch, it is almost always written as one word. If you are referring to a person, you wouldn't use hierbij; you would use 'bij hem' or 'bij haar'. Hierbij is strictly for objects, concepts, or situations. For example, if you are pointing at a map and saying 'the city is near this', you might say "De stad ligt hierbij," though 'hier vlakbij' would be more natural for physical proximity. The word hierbij leans more towards the abstract 'accompanying' rather than physical 'next to'.

If you work in a Dutch office, you will see hierbij dozens of times a day in your inbox. It is the gold standard for starting a professional email. "Hierbij de factuur," "Hierbij de link naar de vergadering," "Hierbij mijn reactie." It is so common that it often acts as a complete sentence in very informal internal chats, though in a formal email, you would follow it with a verb. Outside of the office, you'll hear it in official government broadcasts or during formal ceremonies. When a king or a mayor opens a new building, they don't just say "It's open"; they say, "Hierbij verklaar ik...".

Another place you'll encounter it is in instructional manuals or recipes. When a text describes a step and then wants to point out something specific to that step, it might say: "Let hierbij op dat de oven niet te warm wordt." Here, it means 'while doing this' or 'regarding this step'. It's a way for the author to keep the instructions concise without repeating the entire action. In news reports, journalists use it to link a statement to a piece of evidence. "De minister heeft gelogen, en hierbij baseren wij ons op geheime documenten." (The minister lied, and in this [statement], we base ourselves on secret documents).

Formal Ceremonies

"Hierbij open ik deze tentoonstelling." (I hereby open this exhibition.)

Customer Service

"Hierbij stuur ik u de link voor de betaling." (I'm sending you the payment link with this message.)

In the legal world, hierbij is everywhere. Contracts are filled with it. "Hierbij verklaren ondergetekenden..." (The undersigned hereby declare...). It creates a legal 'link' between the signers and the text. If you are dealing with Dutch bureaucracy—whether it's taxes, immigration, or housing—get used to seeing this word. It's the linguistic glue of the Dutch administrative machine. Even in school, a teacher might hand back a graded essay and say, "Hierbij je resultaten, je hebt het goed gedaan." It marks the transition of an object from one person to another.

The most frequent mistake learners make with hierbij is confusing it with other pronominal adverbs like hiermee (with this/using this) or hieraan (to this/at this). While hierbij and hiermee are sometimes interchangeable in emails (e.g., "Hiermee stuur ik u..." is also possible), hierbij is much more common for attachments. Use hiermee when you are using something as a tool: "Hiermee kun je de deur openen" (With this [tool], you can open the door). You wouldn't say "Hierbij kun je de deur openen" unless the key was somehow attached to the statement itself, which makes little sense.

Another common error is the word order. As mentioned before, English speakers tend to forget the inversion. Because hierbij is an adverbial phrase at the start of the sentence, the verb must come second. If you say "Hierbij ik...", a Dutch person will understand you, but it will sound very 'broken'. Another mistake is using hierbij to mean 'near here' in a spatial sense. If you want to say 'I live near here', you must say "Ik woon hier vlakbij". Using just hierbij in that context sounds incomplete or archaic.

Mistake: Over-Formality

Using hierbij in a text message to a close friend about something casual can sound slightly sarcastic or overly stiff. Stick to "Hier is..." or "Ik stuur je..." for friends.

Finally, avoid using hierbij when referring to people. If you are standing next to your friend Jan and want to say 'With Jan, everything is fine', you cannot say "Hierbij is alles goed". You must say "Met Jan is alles goed" or "Bij hem is alles goed". Hierbij is strictly for things, situations, or the communication itself. Beginners also sometimes write it as two words: 'hier bij'. While technically 'hier' and 'bij' are two words, as a pronominal adverb meaning 'herewith', it must be written as one word: hierbij. This is a rule for all pronominal adverbs in Dutch (erbij, daarbij, waarbij, etc.).

If you find yourself using hierbij too often, there are several alternatives depending on the context. In formal letters, you might use bijgaand (enclosed/attached). This is an adjective, so it behaves differently. You could say: "Bijgaand treft u de factuur aan" (Enclosed you will find the invoice). This is even more formal than hierbij. Another option is ingesloten, which literally means 'enclosed' (like in an envelope). While hierbij is common for emails, ingesloten is more common for physical mail.

Hierbij vs. Hiermee

Hierbij: Focuses on the attachment or the act of giving.
Hiermee: Focuses on the instrument or the consequence. "Hiermee eindig ik mijn brief" (With this [the act of writing], I end my letter).

For informal settings, simply use hier or dit. Instead of "Hierbij de foto's," you can say "Hier zijn de foto's" or "Dit zijn de foto's." It's simpler and sounds more natural in a WhatsApp message. If you want to say 'at the same time', you might use tegelijkertijd or daarbij. Daarbij is the 'distal' version of hierbij. While hierbij refers to 'this' (close), daarbij refers to 'that' (further away or previously mentioned). "Hij zingt graag, en daarbij danst hij ook" (He likes to sing, and besides that/with that, he also dances).

Other Pronominal Adverbs

Hieraan: To this (e.g., Ik denk hieraan).
Hierin: In this (e.g., Hierin staat de waarheid).
Hiervoor: For this (e.g., Bedankt hiervoor).

In some academic contexts, you might see hiertoe, which means 'to this end' or 'for this purpose'. While hierbij is observational (here it is), hiertoe is intentional (this is why we are doing it). Understanding these nuances will help you choose the right word for the right level of formality and the right logical connection. If you're ever in doubt in an email, hierbij is almost always a safe and professional choice.