lopen vs stappen
Dutch word comparison
Listen to lopen
Listen to stappen
| lopen | stappen |
|---|---|
LOH-pen verb | /ˈstɑpən/ verb |
| to walk; to move on foot; also used to mean that something is running or progressing | to step or walk (often briskly); colloquially also 'to go out' (e.g., partying) |
How they differ
Stappen often emphasizes the act of stepping or a brisk, purposeful pace and has a colloquial sense of 'going out' (we gaan stappen). Lopen is broader and more neutral; stappen can carry an active or informal nuance.
When to use each
When to use lopen: Prefer lopen for neutral descriptions of walking or when using idiomatic senses of lopen.
When to use stappen: Prefer stappen when you want to stress stepping, a quicker pace, or use the colloquial 'go out' sense.
Side-by-side examples
- We lopen naar de bushalte.
(We are walking to the bus stop.) - We stappen naar de bushalte.
(We walk/step to the bus stop.)
Register & nuance: Stappen is common in informal speech and everyday language; it can be more colloquial than lopen, especially in the 'go out' sense.
- See the full Word of the Day entry for lopen
- See the Word of the Day entry for stappen
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