What does “uitzoeken” mean in Dutch?

Uitzoeken means to pick something out from a range of options — not just to buy, but to browse, consider, and land on one thing. It splits uit (out) and zoeken (to search), so you are literally “searching out” your choice. Dutch parents reach for it the moment they set a one-item rule at a shop: je mag één ding uitzoeken — “you may pick out one thing.” That single sentence is a complete lesson in how the verb works.

Because uitzoeken is a separable verb, the prefix detaches in main clauses: Ik zoek iets uit (“I’m picking something out”), but stays joined after mag or other modals: je mag één ding uitzoeken. The verb also extends beyond shopping — dat moet je zelf uitzoeken means “you’ll have to figure that out yourself,” where the “searching out” shifts from objects to answers. In the clip, a child keeps asking “Kan ik deze kopen?” (“Can I buy this?”) and the parent’s patient reply — je mag 1 ding uitzoeken — is the moment the rule and the verb land together.