closer, nearer 
[adverb]
[dich-ter-bij]
"Dichterbij" is the comparative of "dichtbij" which means "close by". It is composed of "dichter" and "bij". One of the meaning of "bij" is "close" or "near" and when preceded by "dichter", it means "closer" or "nearer". Separately, "dichter" has a totally distinct meaning: "poet".
Examples:
– "Kom eens wat dichterbij, ik kan je niet verstaan."
("Come a little bit closer, I can’t hear you.")
– "Waarom ga je altijd naar de Aldi supermarkt voor je boodschappen; de Albert Heijn is veel dichterbij!"
("Why do you always go to the Aldi supermarket for your groceries; the Albert Heijn is much closer!")
– "<Advertentie over Dierentuin Blijdorp:> Dichterbij kun je niet komen."
("<Ad on the Blijdorp Zoo:> You can’t get any closer.")
– "Ben je al wat dichterbij het bereiken van je doel gekomen?"
("Have you already come a bit closer to achieving your goal?")
– "Treinstation Amsterdam Sloterdijk is dichtbij mijn huis maar Centraal Station is nog dichterbij."
("Train station Amsterdam Sloterdijk is close to my place but Central Station is even closer.")
– "Kom gerust dichterbij, de hond bijt niet."
("Don’t be scared to come closer, the dog doesn’t bite.")
– "Vind je het fijn om zo dichtbij je werk te wonen? Ik woon liever wat verder weg."
("Do you like living so close to your work? I prefer to live a little bit further away.")
– "Hoe ver is het naar de dichtstbijzijnde pinautomaat?" – "Oh, dat is heel dichtbij, hier net om de hoek is er één."
("How far is it to the nearest ATM?" – "Oh, that’s very close, there’s one just around the corner from here.")
Related words:
– Dichtstbijzijnd: nearest [adjective/adverb].
– Ver: far [adjective/adverb].
– Verder: 1. further, the rest of 2. further, farther (comparative of "ver").
– Dichtbij: close by, near by [adverb].
Today’s DWOTD breaks down and analyzes “dichterbij” incorrectly. The proper word division is not “dichter + bij,” but “dicht + erbij.” There is, therefore, no comparative component. Compare the German expression, “dicht herbei,” which has the same meaning.
Dutch grammar tends to blend the forms of adjectives and adverbs. Dichterbij is presented as adverb (dat kan) but all the examples are adjectives (dat kan ook).
Don’t believe Chris! Dichter is “de overtreffende trap” (comparative degree?) of dicht —–> dicht – dichter – dichtst.
Chris, don’t start to translate Dutch words to German – we do have a lot of false friends 😉
There is no German “dichter herbeI” – de Dutch dichterbij would be “näher” and Dichter with capital letter means also poet and dichter=more closed.
I think the use of “dicht erbij” is possible in Dutch, however it has a different meaning:
– “Ligt het dorp ver van de stad?” – “Nee, het ligt dicht erbij.”
(“Is the village far from the city?” – “No, it is close to it.”)
Although I would prefer to say “Het ligt er dichtbij”.
“Dichterbij” however means “closer/nearer (to it)”:
– “We gaan naar de Grote Markt, dat is dichtbij.” – “Nee, laten we naar het Plein gaan, dat is dichterbij!”
(“Let’s go to the Grote Markt, that is close (by).” – “No, let’s go to Plein, that is closer.”)