zitten

Meaning

1. (intransitive) to sit
2. (intransitive) to be, to be placed or located
3. (auxiliary) Forms a continuous aspect. Although it carries an implication of sitting, this is vague and is not strictly required or emphasized.
4. (Netherlands,figuratively,intransitive) to have a meeting, to consult, to sit down
5. (informal,intransitive) to be in prison

Hyphenated as

zit‧ten

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈzɪtə(n)/

Etymology

From Middle Dutch sitten, from Old Dutch sitten, from Proto-West Germanic *sittjan, from Proto-Germanic *sitjaną, from Proto-Indo-European *sed-.

Sentences

Het glas viel om en er bleef alleen nog wat ijs in zitten .

The glass fell over and all that remained was some ice.

Er kunnen bacteriën in het water zitten .

There may be bacteria in the water.

Maar aan dit succes zitten wel verplichtingen vast .

But this success has strings attached.

Er zitten vierentwintig uren in een dag .

There are twenty-four hours in a day.

Als twee gehandicapte passagiers samen reizen , moeten ze apart zitten .

If two disabled passengers travel together they have to sit separately.

Hoeveel parlementsleden zitten er in het parlement ?

How many parliamentarians are there in parliament?

Woedeaanvallen zitten nu eenmaal in zijn karakter .

Anger attacks are in his character.

We zitten terug op het zomertijd, maar ik moet de klok nog synchroniseren .

We're back to daylight saving time, but I still have to synchronize the clock.