Author Archives: Dutch Gurus

Stoer

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tough, brave [adjective/adverb] [‘stoer‘] Iconspeaker_3

You can say that somebody is "stoer" if he or she is tough or brave or acts that way. You can also use it ironically.

Examples:
– "Val jij op stoere mannen, of toch de meer zachtaardige?"
("Do you fancy tough guys, or rather the more gentle ones?" Notice the
verb "vallen op", literally "to fall on / on top of" but also used for
"to fancy/take to/go for").

– "Ik heb een nieuw leren jack gekocht. Wat vind je ervan?" – "Stoer hoor!"
("I’ve bought a new leather jacket. What do you think?" – "Wow, you look tough!")

– "Mijn vriendin is heel stoer, ze gaat helemaal alleen een wereldreis maken."
("My
girlfriend is very brave, she’s going to travel around the world all
alone." Lit. "she’s going to make a world-trip all alone.")

Expressions:
– "Een stoere bink": a macho man, a show-off.
– "Stoer doen": to act tough, put on a brave face.

Example:
  – <ironically:>"Wat doe je nou stoer man? Ga fietsen!"
("Trying to be tough man? Get out of here!")

Related words:
– "Stoerdoenerij": macho behaviour, show-off.

Example:
  – "Moet je die gasten zien in die asobak! Wat een stoerdoenerij!"
("Look at those guys in that big car! What a show-off!" Note the usage
of the word "bak" which is speech for a big car. Add "aso" – short for
antisocial – for a very big car. In the Netherlands big cars are not
always appreciated due to pollution or just being in the way (which is
easy in Dutch cities 🙂 ).)

– "Soft": the English "soft" is often used as the opposite of "stoer".
– "Zachtaardig": gentle, good-natured.
– "Macho": tough guy.
– "Softie": opposite of macho.

Op het nippertje

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at the very last moment, only just in time, a close call [Dutch phrase of the week] Iconspeaker_3

A "nipper" does not exist, nor does "nippertje" have a meaning of its own. You’ll only hear and use it in this phrase. Another version is "op het laatste nippertje": at the very very last moment.

Examples:
– "Vanochtend heb ik op het nippertje de trein gehaald."
("This morning I only just managed to catch the train." Note that the Dutch say "de trein halen".)

– "De scholier stak zonder te kijken de spoorwegovergang over, en is op het nippertje aan de dood ontsnapt."
("The pupil/student crossed the railway/road crossing without looking, and escaped death by a hair’s breadth.")

– "Iedereen was ruimschoots op tijd, terwijl Frank weer eens op het laatste nippertje arriveerde."
("Everybody arrived well on time, while Frank once again arrived at the very very last moment.")

Pleite

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"Pleite" is slang and is only used informally. It can be used in two ways:

1. gone, out of here [adjective] [‘plei-tu’] Iconspeaker_klein

Here it is also often used in the phrase "pleite gaan", which translates to "to clear/take off".

Examples:
– "Jongen, ik ben pleite."
("Dude/Mate, I’m out of here.")

– "Weet jij waar Eline is?" – "Nee, ze was ineens pleite."
("Do you know where Eline is?" – "No, all of a sudden she was gone.")

– "Kunnen we nu pleite gaan?" – "Nog heel even Yolanda, het is zo gepiept."
("Can we clear off now?" – "Just a moment Yolanda, it won’t take long.")

 Related words:
– "Peren": to leave.
– "Pleiten": "Pleite" is not to be confused with the verb "pleiten", which translates to "to plead". The following example contains both 🙂

– "Na het pleiten in de rechtszaal ging de advocaat pleite."
("After pleading in court, the lawyer cleared off.")

Extra: more on the background of "pleite" and "pleiten" can be found in this article (in Dutch).

2. nowhere to be found, gone, missing [adjective] [‘plei-tu’] Iconspeaker_klein

Examples:
– "M’n sleutels zijn pleite. Wat nu?"
("My keys are gone. Now what?")

– "Sinds de verhuizing is de afstandsbediening van de TV pleite."
("Since the move, the remote control of the TV is missing.")

Related words:
– "Weg": gone, left missing away.
– "Kwijt": gone, missing.
– "Foetsie": [informal] gone, missing.
– "Verschwunden": [informal] past particple of the German verb "verschwinden": to disappear, and for some reason informally used when something is nowhere to be found and you have absolutely no clue.

 

Kast

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cupboard, closet, wardrobe, cabinet [noun] [de kast, de kasten] [‘kast‘] Iconspeaker_3

You
can use "kast" for basically any type of cupboard, closet, wardrobe or
cabinet. If not clear from context, you can be more specific, such as
"boekenkast", see the Examples.

Good to know is the use of the diminutive "kastje": obviously in use
for a small "kast", but also the general word of choice for any small
electronic box-shaped communication device, e.g. an ADSL modem.

Examples:
– "In oude Nederlandse huizen zijn vaak inbouwkasten aanwezig."
("In old Dutch houses one often finds built-in closets." Lit. "… often built-in closets are present.")

– "De boekenkast ‘Billy‘ van IKEA is erg populair."
("The IKEA bookcase ‘Billy’ is very popular.")

– "Man, we hebben dit weekend een klerenkast gekocht, en nu moeten we 8 weken wachten: niet normaal!"
("Man, we bought a wardrobe this weekend, and now we have to wait for 8
weeks: ridiculous!" Literally we write "not normal!", which is quite
common, and so is the 8 weeks wait by the way 😉 )

Expressions:
– "Op de kast zitten": to be angry.
– "Iemand op de kast jagen/krijgen": to provoke somebody, to needle somebody.
– "Uit de kast komen": to come out of the closet.
– "Een kast van een huis": a very big house.
– "Van het kastje naar de muur gestuurd worden": to be sent from pillar to post.

Example:
  – "Nou, ik heb Casema gebeld want volgens mij doet het kastje, dat ik van hen heb gekregen, het niet. Zij zeggen dat het de schuld is van KPN. Maar KPN zegt dat het de schuld is van Casema. Ik word van het kastje naar de muur gestuurd!"
("Well, I’ve phoned Casema because I believe the device they gave me doesn’t work. They say it’s KPN’s fault. But KPN says Casema is to blame. I’m being sent from pillar to post!")

Related words:
– "La": drawer.
– "Dressoir": sideboard, buffet.
– "Klerenkast"/"Kleerkast": slang for muscular bouncer-types.

Lusten

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to have a taste for, to like/enjoy/be fond of (food/drinks) [verb] [lustte, gelust] [‘lus-tun’] Iconspeaker_3

"Lusten" is only used in conjunction with food and drinks (or anything else that you think is edible or drinkable 🙂 ). This contrary to "houden van" which is also used for "to love somebody".

Mind that the past tense has two "t’s", this is because the stem ends with a ‘t’.

Examples:
– "Wil je een tomaat?" – "Nee, bedankt." – "O, lust je geen tomaten?"
("Would you like to have a tomato?" – "No, thank you." – "Oh, don’t you like tomatoes?")

– "Leuk dat je komt eten! Heb je nog speciale eetwensen?" – "Nee, ik lust eigenlijk alles."
("How nice that you’re coming over for dinner! Do you have any special food requirements/wishes?" – "No, as a matter of fact I enjoy everything.")

– "Vroeger lustte ik geen witlof, nu vind ik het wel OK."
("I did not use to like chicory, now I think it’s quite OK.")

– "Ik zou wel een biertje lusten, en jij?" – "Nee, ik lust geen bier, doe maar een wijntje."
("I wouldn’t mind a beer, would you?" – "No, I don’t care for beer, I’ll have wine.)

Expressions:
– "Er pap van lusten": to enjoy someting greatly.
– "Hij zal ervan lusten": he is going to pay for this.
– "Zo lust ik er nog wel eentje": yeah right! (ironically).
– "Zo lust ik er nog wel een paar!": that’s enough now / are you finished? (after having had enough of somebody’s arguments/excuses).

Related words:
– "Iets vies vinden": to dislike something (food/drinks).
– "Lekker vinden": to find something tasty (in this context).
– "Smaken": to taste.
– "Eetlust": appetite.
– "Lust": desire, lust, joy.