Dutch creates new words through three main processes. Compounding (samenstelling) is the most productive: two or more existing words combine into a new word. The new word takes the gender of its rightmost element: de fiets + het pad = het fietspad. Compounds can be written as one word (the default), hyphenated (when the combination is unusual or very long), or two separate words (rarely). Connecting elements -en- or -s- appear between components: werk + gever = werkgever, kind + eren + dagverblijf = kinderdagverblijf.
Derivation (afleiding) adds prefixes or suffixes to existing words to create new words. Prefixes change meaning: on- (negation), mis- (wrongly), ver- (transformation), her- (again), ont- (removal). Suffixes create new word classes: -heid/-heid turns adjectives into nouns (vrij → vrijheid), -ing turns verbs into nouns (oefenen → oefening), -er creates agent nouns (schrijven → schrijver), -lijk creates adjectives (aard → aardelijk… actually aardig), -ig creates adjectives (moed → moedig). Understanding derivational patterns enables you to guess and create Dutch words systematically.
Borrowing (ontlening) from other languages. Dutch has borrowed extensively from French (historically), English (currently), and others. Borrowed words may be: fully integrated with Dutch spelling (de computer, het team — same spelling), partially adapted (het traject from French trajet), or used as-is (de burnout, de feedback, de deadline). The Taalunie sometimes offers Dutch alternatives (beeldscherm for monitor, brandwand for firewall) but English borrowings often persist. New coinages frequently emerge from social media and technology.