Author Archives: Dutch Gurus

Terug

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 1. back [adverb; ‘tu-rug’]

The word ‘terug’ is also frequently used to create ‘composed verbs’, see ‘Examples’.

Examples:
– "Geef terug!"
("Give it back!" Here the composed verb is ‘teruggeven’: to give back (or to return).)

– "Sander is (weer) terug van vakantie."
("Sander is back (again) from holiday/vacation.")

– "Ik heb te weinig geld teruggekregen!"
("I was short-changed!" with composed verb ‘terugkrijgen’: to receive, to get back. Literally: "I was given back too little money.")

– "Niet goed, geld terug."
(Popular warranty slogan, literally: "Not good, money back". You will also see: "Niet goed, geld terug – garantie" as a warranty ("garantie") policy.)

– "Ik ben over 5 minuten terug."
("I’ll be back in 5 minutes.")

– "In ‘Back to the future‘ reist de hoofdpersoon terug in de tijd."
("In ‘Back to the future’ the main character travels back in time.")

– "Alle laptopbatterijen met oneven serienummers moeten terug naar de fabriek."
("All laptop batteries with odd serial numbers have to be returned to the factory.")

– "Door het slechte weer zijn veel vakantiegangers teruggekeerd."
("Due to the bad weather, many holidaymakers/vacationers have gone back." Composed verb: ‘terugkeren’.)

– "Kunt u mij later vanmiddag terugbellen?"
("Can you call me back later this afternoon?")

Expressions:
– "Niet terug hebben van": used when one can’t compete, or is silenced (by an argument).

Examples:
– "De Nederlandse atleet had niet terug van de snelle start van de Rus."
("The Dutch athlete could not compete with the Russian’s fast start.")

– "Ik heb hem de waarheid gezegd en hij had er niet van terug!"
("I told him the truth and he was silenced!")

– "Erop terugkomen": to discuss later/to revisit (an issue) or to change an opinion or decision.

Examples:
– "Ik kom er later in deze presentatie op terug."
("I will discuss this later in the presentation.")

– "Ik had gezegd dat ik mee zou gaan vanavond, maar ik moet erop terugkomen."
("I said I’d join tonight, but I have to cancel (take it back).")

2. back (ago) [adverb]

This translation is not very common and the word ‘geleden’ is more often used.

Example:
– "Enige jaren terug was er een tekort aan water door het extreem warme weer."
("A few years ago there was a shortage of water due to the extremely warm weather.")

Balen

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1. to be fed up (with), be sick (and tired / to death) (of), to be heavily disappointed [verb] [baalde, gebaald; 'baa-lun']

In this context, "balen" is often used in conjuction with the preposition "van".

Examples:
– "Dat is balen!"
("That's tough luck!")

– "Frank baalt al heel lang van zijn werk."
("Frank has been fed up with his job for a really long time.")

Related expression:
– "Balen als een stekker": to be really fed up with something / to be really disappointed / to be really pissed off. (Literally: "…like a plug.")

Example:
– "Marc baalde als een stekker omdat de file 16 kilometer lang was."
("Marc was really pissed off because the traffic jam was 16 kilometers long.")

2. bags, sacks, bales [noun] [plural of "baal"]

Example:
– "In juli liggen er altijd veel hooibalen in het veld."
("In July, there are always a lot of hay bags laying in the (country) field.")

Bui

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The word “bui” has appeared earlier in 21. Ui.

1. (rain) shower [noun] [de bui, de buien]

Examples:
– “De boeren zaten erg te wachten op een stevige bui.”
(“The farmers were waiting very much for good rain shower.”)

– “Het weer is vandaag wisselvallig met veel buien.”
(“The weather today is unstable/changeable with lots of showers.”)

Related words:
– “Regenbui”: rain shower.
– “Regen”: rain.

2. mood [noun] [de bui, de buien]

Examples:
– “Frank was in een slechte bui vanwege de hevige buien.”
(“Frank was in a bad mood because of the severe rain showers.”)

– “Heeft ze weer zo’n bui?”
(“Is she having a bad mood again?” Literally: “Is she having another one of those moods again?”)

Related word:
– “Stemming”: mood, atmosphere (lit.: tuning).

Rit

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Instead of "rit", its diminutive is often used in an informal context: "ritje".

ride, drive [noun] [de rit, de ritten]

Examples:
– "Wat een rit!"
("What a ride!")

– "Van Groningen naar Maastricht is een flinke rit."
("It’s quite a drive from Groningen to Maastricht." At least by Dutch standards 🙂 )

– "Hee schatje, heb je zin in een ritje?"
("Hey baby, wanna go for a ride?")

– "Waar is Frank? – Hij is een ritje aan het maken in zijn nieuwe auto."
("Where’s Frank?" He’s gone for a drive in his new car.")

– "De laatste busrit is om twaalf uur."
("The last bus leaves at twelve o’clock.")

Related words:
– "Rijden": to ride, to drive.
– "Reis": trip, journey.

Expression:
– "De rit uitzitten": to ride it out (literally: to sit out the ride).

Pech

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1. bad/hard/tough luck [noun] [de pech, <no plural>]

Examples:
– "Wat een pech, man!"
("That’s tough luck, man!")

– "Frank heeft altijd pech."
("Frank is always out of luck.")

2. breakdown, trouble [noun] [de pech, <no plural>]

Example:
– "Marc heeft vandaag pech met zijn auto: de ruitenwissers doen het niet meer."
("Marc has trouble with his car today: the windshield wipers don’t work anymore.")

– "Er stond een auto met pech op de vluchtstrook."
("There was a broken-down car on the (hard) shoulder.")

Related word:
– "Panne": break-down/failure (of a car)