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Dutch frequency list

No. 10 in Dutch

aan

"Aan" means "on," "at," or "to," depending on the context.

In a sentence

  • Ik ben aan het lezen.

    I am reading.

    Here, 'aan' is part of the Dutch continuous tense construction 'aan het + infinitive', indicating an ongoing action.

  • Het schilderij hangt aan de muur.

    The painting hangs on the wall.

    In this context, 'aan' expresses attachment or proximity, indicating where the painting is hung.

  • Ik geef het boek aan hem.

    I give the book to him.

    Here, 'aan' is used to indicate the recipient of an action, functioning as a preposition meaning 'to'.

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