This is the 2977th most frequent Dutch word.
beseft
"Realizes" or "is aware of."
In this sentence, 'besef' is used as a verb meaning 'realize.' It expresses an understanding or awareness of a situation.
Ik besef dat het al laat is.
I realize that it is already late.
Here, 'besef' is a noun meaning 'sense' or 'awareness.' It refers to someone's perception or understanding of a particular concept, in this case, time.
Zijn besef van tijd is soms verstoord.
His sense of time is sometimes distorted.
In this instance, 'beseffen' is the infinitive form of the verb meaning 'to realize,' used to express the necessity of understanding or recognizing a fact.