B1 Expression Neutral

zoals afgesproken

as agreed

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Use 'zoals afgesproken' to confirm that you are doing exactly what was previously decided or planned with someone else.

  • Means: 'As agreed' or 'As we discussed' in a professional or social context.
  • Used in: Emails, business follow-ups, and confirming meeting times with friends.
  • Don't confuse: With 'volgens mij', which means 'in my opinion' rather than 'according to the plan'.
🤝 + 📅 = ✅ (Agreement + Calendar = Action taken as planned)

Explanation at your level:

This phrase means 'as we said'. Use it when you do something you promised. For example, if you meet a friend at 5:00, you can say 'Ik ben hier, zoals afgesproken'. It is very useful for basic plans. It has two parts: 'zoals' (as) and 'afgesproken' (agreed).
At this level, you can use 'zoals afgesproken' to confirm simple tasks. It is common in short emails or text messages. Remember that 'afgesproken' comes from the verb 'afspreken'. When you start a sentence with this phrase, the verb comes next. It shows you are reliable and follow the rules of your appointments.
This is an intermediate expression used to link a past agreement to a current action. It is essential for professional Dutch. It functions as a confirmation marker. You will see it often in work environments ('Zoals afgesproken stuur ik u de offerte'). It helps organize your communication and ensures there is no confusion about why you are doing something. It is neutral in tone, making it safe for almost any situation.
At the B2 level, you should recognize the nuance between 'zoals afgesproken' and its more formal variants like 'conform afspraak'. You use it to maintain professional flow and manage expectations. It also serves as a subtle reminder of obligations. If a colleague hasn't finished a task, saying 'We zouden dit vandaag afronden, zoals afgesproken' is a polite but firm way to point out a broken commitment without being overly aggressive.
In advanced Dutch, 'zoals afgesproken' is analyzed through the lens of pragmatic competence. It acts as a cohesive device in discourse, anchoring the conversation in a shared history. Advanced learners should master the prosody—the intonation used can change the phrase from a helpful confirmation to a stern reprimand. It is also important to understand its role in the 'Poldermodel' context, where it reinforces the social consensus that underpins Dutch institutional interactions.
At the C2 level, the phrase is seen as a manifestation of the Dutch cultural axiom 'Afspraak is afspraak'. Mastery involves using the phrase to navigate complex power dynamics, such as in high-stakes negotiations where referencing prior agreements ('zoals eerder afgesproken') serves as a foundational legalistic and ethical anchor. The learner understands the subtle shift in register when moving to 'volgens afspraak' and can manipulate these forms to achieve specific rhetorical effects in both oratorical and written Dutch.

Bedeutung

According to what was decided.

🌍

Kultureller Hintergrund

The Dutch 'agenda' culture is world-famous. People often schedule social visits weeks in advance. 'Zoals afgesproken' is the verbal confirmation that this sacred schedule is being honored. While Flemish people also value agreements, the tone can be slightly softer. You might hear 'zoals afgesproken' used with a bit more 'gij' and 'u' (informal/formal mix) than in the Randstad. In Surinamese Dutch, the phrase is used but the cultural concept of time can be more fluid ('Surinaamse tijd'). However, in professional settings, 'zoals afgesproken' remains the standard for business reliability. Directness is key. If you don't do something 'zoals afgesproken', a Dutch colleague will likely tell you directly. The phrase is used to avoid this friction by being clear about your actions.

🎯

Email Opener

Always start your business follow-up emails with 'Zoals afgesproken...'. It immediately establishes you as a reliable professional.

⚠️

Word Order

Don't forget the inversion! 'Zoals afgesproken *stuur ik*' is correct. 'Zoals afgesproken *ik stuur*' sounds like a beginner.

Bedeutung

According to what was decided.

🎯

Email Opener

Always start your business follow-up emails with 'Zoals afgesproken...'. It immediately establishes you as a reliable professional.

⚠️

Word Order

Don't forget the inversion! 'Zoals afgesproken *stuur ik*' is correct. 'Zoals afgesproken *ik stuur*' sounds like a beginner.

💬

Be Precise

If you use this phrase, make sure you are actually following the agreement perfectly. The Dutch value precision.

Teste dich selbst

Fill in the missing words to complete the sentence with 'as agreed'.

____ ___________ stuur ik je de foto's van het feestje.

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: Zoals afgesproken

'Zoals afgesproken' is the correct fixed expression. Note the inversion: 'stuur ik'.

Which sentence has the correct word order?

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: Zoals afgesproken kom ik morgen langs.

When starting with 'Zoals afgesproken', the verb 'kom' must come immediately after.

Complete the dialogue between two colleagues.

A: Heb je het rapport al af? B: Ja, ik heb het net naar je gemaild, ____ ___________.

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: zoals afgesproken

The speaker is confirming they followed through on a prior plan.

Match the phrase variation to the correct context.

1. Conform afspraak (A) / 2. Zoals afgesproken (B) / 3. Wat we zeiden (C)

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: A: Legal contract, B: Business email, C: Close friends

'Conform' is very formal, 'Zoals' is neutral/professional, and 'Wat we zeiden' is informal.

🎉 Ergebnis: /4

Visuelle Lernhilfen

Häufig gestellte Fragen

14 Fragen

Yes, it is very common in WhatsApp messages to confirm plans. For example: 'Tot morgen, zoals afgesproken!'

It can be slightly confrontational. If you want to be softer, say 'We hadden toch afgesproken dat...?' (We agreed that..., right?)

'Zoals afgesproken' is more common in general conversation and emails. 'Volgens afspraak' is more formal and often used for official appointments like the dentist or a lawyer.

In Dutch, you usually don't put a comma after the introductory phrase if it's short, but you MUST use inversion (verb before subject).

Yes, that is the past tense ('as we agreed'). It is slightly more narrative and less of a fixed formula than 'zoals afgesproken'.

Yes, it is perfectly standard in Flemish Dutch as well.

You can say 'zoals besproken'. It is very similar and often used interchangeably in business.

Yes. 'Ik heb de bloemen gekocht, zoals afgesproken.' This is very natural.

The Dutch 'zoals afgesproken' already covers the 'upon' part. No extra preposition is needed.

Absolutely. It is a staple of formal Dutch correspondence.

Yes, it is an impersonal phrase, so it doesn't change based on how many people agreed.

Yes. 'Ik heb hem niet gebeld, zoals afgesproken.' (I didn't call him, as agreed.)

There isn't one single phrase, but you could say 'anders dan afgesproken' (different than agreed).

Yes, it is very professional and shows you are on top of your tasks.

Verwandte Redewendungen

🔗

volgens afspraak

similar

according to appointment

🔗

afspraak is afspraak

builds on

a deal is a deal

🔗

in overleg

similar

in consultation

🔗

zo gezegd, zo gedaan

similar

no sooner said than done

Wo du es verwendest

📧

Business Email

Project Manager: Zoals afgesproken stuur ik u de offerte voor het nieuwe project.

Client: Bedankt, ik zal het bekijken en kom er bij u op terug.

formal
☕

Meeting a Friend

Sanne: Hé! Ik ben er om twee uur, zoals afgesproken.

Mark: Top, ik zit al op het terras!

informal
💼

Job Interview Follow-up

Candidate: Zoals afgesproken tijdens ons gesprek, stuur ik u mijn portfolio.

Recruiter: Hartelijk dank voor de snelle toezending.

formal
📦

Vinted/Marketplace Sale

Seller: Ik heb het pakketje zojuist op de post gedaan, zoals afgesproken.

Buyer: Super, bedankt voor de track & trace code!

neutral
🏥

Doctor's Appointment

Receptionist: U bent hier voor de controle om tien uur, zoals afgesproken?

Patient: Ja, dat klopt.

formal
📱

Dating App Plan

User A: Zullen we bij de ingang van het park afspreken?

User B: Ja, zie je daar om 19:00, zoals afgesproken!

informal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'Zoals' as 'So as' and 'Afgesproken' as 'Off-spoken' (spoken and finished). So as we finished speaking!

Visual Association

Imagine two people shaking hands over a calendar. The handshake is the 'afspraak', and the calendar is the 'zoals' (the reference point).

Rhyme

Niet vergeten, zoals afgesproken gaan we eten!

Story

You meet a Dutch friend named Adriaan. You agree to meet at the windmill at 4 PM. When you arrive exactly at 4 PM, you point to your watch and say 'Zoals afgesproken!'. Adriaan smiles because you are on time and kept your word.

Word Web

afspraakbelofteovereenkomstplannenbevestigennakomenvertrouwenagenda

Herausforderung

Write three emails today (real or practice) starting with 'Zoals afgesproken'. One to a boss, one to a friend, and one to a fictional landlord.

In Other Languages

Spanish high

según lo acordado

Spanish often uses 'según' (according to) while Dutch uses 'zoals' (as/like).

French high

comme convenu

French is slightly more likely to use this in speech than the Dutch, who might use more informal variations.

German high

wie besprochen

German often prefers 'besprochen' (discussed) over 'vereinbart' (agreed) in casual business, whereas Dutch uses 'afgesproken' for both.

Japanese moderate

打ち合わせ通り (uchiawase doori)

Japanese focuses on the 'meeting' (uchiawase) rather than the 'agreement' (afspraak).

Arabic high

كما اتفقنا (kama ittafaqna)

Arabic usually includes the 'we' (na) in the verb, making it slightly more personal than the Dutch participle.

Chinese moderate

正如所约 (zhèngrú suǒ yuē)

Chinese usage is highly dependent on the level of formality, more so than Dutch.

Korean high

약속한 대로 (yaksokhan daero)

The Korean word 'yaksok' covers both 'promise' and 'appointment', similar to Dutch 'afspraak'.

Portuguese high

conforme combinado

Portuguese uses 'conforme' which is more like 'in accordance with' than 'zoals'.

Easily Confused

zoals afgesproken vs. volgens mij

Learners think 'volgens' always means 'according to the plan'.

'Volgens mij' means 'in my opinion', while 'volgens afspraak' means 'as agreed'.

zoals afgesproken vs. zoals gewoonlijk

Both start with 'zoals'.

'Gewoonlijk' means 'usually/as usual', not 'as agreed'.

FAQ (14)

Yes, it is very common in WhatsApp messages to confirm plans. For example: 'Tot morgen, zoals afgesproken!'

It can be slightly confrontational. If you want to be softer, say 'We hadden toch afgesproken dat...?' (We agreed that..., right?)

'Zoals afgesproken' is more common in general conversation and emails. 'Volgens afspraak' is more formal and often used for official appointments like the dentist or a lawyer.

In Dutch, you usually don't put a comma after the introductory phrase if it's short, but you MUST use inversion (verb before subject).

Yes, that is the past tense ('as we agreed'). It is slightly more narrative and less of a fixed formula than 'zoals afgesproken'.

Yes, it is perfectly standard in Flemish Dutch as well.

You can say 'zoals besproken'. It is very similar and often used interchangeably in business.

Yes. 'Ik heb de bloemen gekocht, zoals afgesproken.' This is very natural.

The Dutch 'zoals afgesproken' already covers the 'upon' part. No extra preposition is needed.

Absolutely. It is a staple of formal Dutch correspondence.

Yes, it is an impersonal phrase, so it doesn't change based on how many people agreed.

Yes. 'Ik heb hem niet gebeld, zoals afgesproken.' (I didn't call him, as agreed.)

There isn't one single phrase, but you could say 'anders dan afgesproken' (different than agreed).

Yes, it is very professional and shows you are on top of your tasks.

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