Where derivations with the suffix -er refer to the agent of a verb, it is rather the verb's patient or theme that is referred to by -sel. The suffix also exists in Dutch, German and the Scandinavian languages. Derivations are object names, with the exception of skepsel creature, which can denote a person. All derived words have neuter gender, although stisel starch and sprusel bit, scrap shifted to the common nouns; for more background, see gender change by opacity of a suffix.

Most words ending in -sel are derived from transitive verbs. They denote the result of the action as described by the verb:

Base form	Derivation
skeppe to create	skepsel creature
betinke to invent	betinksel invention
ôftrekke to extract	ôftreksel extract
oerprintsje to reprint	oerprintsel reprint
bakke to bake	baksel baking
minge to mix	mingsel mix
skriuwe to write	skriuwsel scribblings
slypje to grind	slypsel grindings
úttrekke to (make an) excerpt (from)	úttreksel summary, excerpt

These derivations can both refer to a concrete (cf. baksel baking) or an abstract entity (cf. betinksel invention).

Some intransitive verbs may also be the origin of derivations with -sel, and hence it seems as if -sel may also derive subject names:

Base	Derivation
besakje to settle down	besaksel sediment, dregs
bloeie to bloom	bloeisel blossom
ferskine to appear	ferskynsel phenomenon
ynslûpe to sneak in	ynslûpsel interference
oerbliuwe to be left	oerbliuwsel relic, remnant
útspuie to vomit	útspuisel vomit

To be more precise, these intransitive base verbs can be characterized as ergative. This results in a common feature with the transitive verbs above, i.e. that the derivation with -sel refers to a Theme role.

The nouns derived from ergative verbs can be quite abstract, and then the relation with the verb may be relatively far-fetched. Examples are ferskynsel or oerbliuwsel above.

The semantic contribution of the suffix can be characterized as 'product or result of the action denoted by the verb'. For example, baksel baking is the result of the action of the transitive verb bakke to bake. In a way, this can be transferred to ergative verbs. The result of a verb like bloeie to bloom is bloeisel blossom. The focus on result has the effect that we also find derivations which do not directly reflect the direct object of the verb, but are rather a result or product in a somewhat wider sense. For example, neuksel sperm can be a result of the action denoted by the verb neuke to fuck, but the concept of 'sperm' cannot act as the direct object of this verb. Other derivations in the same vein are slypsel grind(ings) (from slypje to grind), mingsel mix (from minge to mix) or skraabsel scrapings (from skraabje to scrape).

In addition, some derivations with -sel fulfill the role of instrument. Here are some examples:

Base form	Derivation
swartsje to blacken	swartsel carbon black
smarre to spread	smarsel ointment
fersiere to decorate	fersiersel decoration
útwine to excuse	útwynsel excuse

For example, one cannot execute the action of the verb smarre to spread with a smarsel ointment as a result. Rather, one needs the result of the derivation smarsel (the object, material) to execute the action of the verb: one needs ointment in order to spread, one needs carbon black in order to blacken, etcetera.

Quite some derivations can have a pejorative character, as is illustrated in the following examples:

In this pejorative use the suffix is particularly productive.

The suffix -sel bears no stress, since it is pronounced with a schwa: [səl]. A phonological restriction is the condition that the stem of the base verb may not end in [s] or [z]. For example, from sketse to sketch one cannot derive *sketssel sketch and a verb like lêze to read can not be the basis foar *lêssel. The restriction does not apply to gearmjuksel hotchpotch, coming from the verb gearmjuksje to mix. As a second restriction, the base verb may not end in a syllable with a schwa, for instance *teken-sel < teken-je to draw or *timmersel from the verb timmerje to hammer.

Suffixation with -sel may result both in mass nouns and count nouns. The latter can regularly be pluralized with the suffix -s, for example betinksel invention > betinksels inventions. Many count nouns also have a diminutive form (cf. -DIM). Examples are skepsel creature > skepseltsje small creature or smarsel ointment > smarseltsje ointment.