Over het algemeen
Example: Over het algemeen zijn de mensen hier vriendelijk.
Definition
"Over het algemeen" is a Dutch prepositional phrase meaning generally or in most cases. It is used to indicate that a statement applies broadly or typically, as in the example 'Over het algemeen zijn de mensen hier vriendelijk,' meaning people here are generally friendly.
Etymology
The phrase "over het algemeen" combines 'over,' meaning 'about' or 'over,' with 'het algemeen,' meaning 'the general.' It literally translates to 'over the general,' but its idiomatic use evolved to mean 'generally' or 'in general.' This phrase has been part of Dutch for centuries, reflecting the common tendency to summarize or generalize observations.
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"Over het algemeen" appears in the Vocaplus list "Dutch - General - (A1) - set 1", containing 110 commonly used words.
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