Author Archives: Dutch Gurus

Zin

Posted on by

liking/desire, meaning, sense, sentence [noun] [de zin, de zinnen]

"Zin" is truly a homonym: it has several different meanings and can be used in many contexts (the list above is not even complete!).

Examples:
1. "Ik heb zin in ijs als toetje."
("I feel like ice cream for dessert.")

2. "Nu vraag ik je: wat is de zin van het leven?"
("I ask you now: what is the meaning of life?")

3. "Pas een half uur na zijn woedeuitbarsting kwam Frank weer bij zinnen."
("Only half an hour after his raging outburst, Frank came to his senses again.")

4. "Door gebrek aan inspiratie kreeg de columnist slechts enkele zinnen op papier gezet."
("Due to lack of inspiration, the columnist was able to put only a few sentences on paper.")

5. "Ik heb geen zin!"
("I don’t feel like it!")

The following use of "zin" is quite common:
"Zin hebben in/om": to feel like. Depending on the sentence you either use "in" or "om", the latter always involving a verb.

Examples:
1. "Ik heb zin in koffie."
("I feel like coffee.")

2. "Ik heb zin om koffie te drinken."
("I feel like drinking/having coffee.")

3. "Ik heb helemaal nergens zin in!"
("I don’t feel like doing anything at all!")

Related words:
1. "Onzin": nonsense.
2. "Zinnig": sensible.
3. "Onzinnig": senseless, absurd.

Duidelijk

Posted on by

clear, well, distinct [adjective, adverb]

Examples:
1. "De omroeper op het treinstration articuleert duidelijk."
("The announcer at the train station articulates distinctly.")

2. "Frank heeft vanmorgen een duidelijke presentatie gehouden."
("This morning, Frank gave a clear presentation.")

3. "Deze leraar staat bekend om zijn duidelijke uitleg."
("This teacher is known for his clear explanation.")

4. "Dat lijkt me duidelijk!"
("Obviously so!" Literally: "That seems clear to me!")

5. "Ik ontvang u luid en duidelijk!"
("I read you loud and clear!")

Related words:
1. "Onduidelijk": unclear.
2. "Vaag": vague, blurry.
3. "Duidelijk worden": [verb] to become clear/evident.

Example:
– "Nu wordt het me duidelijk!"
("Now it becomes clear to me!")

Toetje

Posted on by
dessert [noun, diminutive] [het toetje, de toetjes]

 "Toetje" is an informal word for dessert. To order dessert in a restaurant, one would use the word "dessert" (which is pronounced the French way), or "nagerecht". Although "toetje" is a diminutive, the word "toe" is actually not a noun! "Toe" is a word that is used together with verbs, or in expressions, and can indicate a closure of some kind. In the case of "toetje" it will be the closure of dinner. See ‘Related words’ for other examples of the use of the word "toe".

Examples:
– "Wie wil er een toetje?"
("Who wants dessert?")

– "Ik neem bijna nooit een toetje."
("I almost never have dessert.")

– "In Nederland is vla een populair toetje."
("In The Netherlands, vla is a popular dessert.")

Related words:
1. "Vla": a typical Dutch dairy product, often served as dessert, read more at: http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vla

2. "IJs": ice cream, see also "DWOTD 23. IJsbeer" and "DWOTD 44. Raket".
3. "Toe": a word that is used together with verbs, or in expressions, and can indicate a closure of some kind.

Examples:
1. "Wil jij de deur even toe doen, alsjeblieft?"
("Would you please close the door?")

2. "Wie wil er wat toe?"
(<after dinner:> "Who wants dessert?")
3. "En nu je oogjes toe!"
(<to a child before going to sleep:> "And now close your eyes!")

Overleg

Posted on by

Grammar: <overleg> [noun] [het overleg, <no plural form>].

Translates to: "consultation", "meeting", "delibaration" or "consideration".

"Overleg" is one of those Dutch words without a plural form. It is used frequently in the office, and in politics, to indicate a gathering or meeting of people who are discussing or deliberating on certain matters. The related verb is "overleggen".

Examples:
1. "Weet jij in welke ruimte ons werkoverleg is?"
("Do you know in which room our (work)meeting is?" See also "DWOTD 53. Ruimte".)

2. "Het overleg tussen de vakbonden en de overheid is vastgelopen."
("The negotiations (meeting) between the unions and the government are deadlocked.")

3. "Ik moet eerst overleggen met mijn vrouw voor ik deze auto koop."
("I first have to consult with my wife before I buy this car.")

Related Words:
1. "Overleg plegen": like "overleggen". Literally: to commit consultation.
2. "Vergadering": meeting (to discuss something).
3. "Bila(t)": [noun] abbreviation of "bilateraal"; a meeting between two persons.

Example: "Ik heb vandaag een bila(t) met mijn manager."
("I have a (bilateral) meeting with my manager today.")

4. "Onderhandeling": negotiation.

Extra:
The Dutch are said to have a "overlegcultuur" (meeting culture), meaning that we love to debate on matters for a long time before taking action, which is always a compromise between the involved parties. Another related Dutch word with more or less the same meaning is the so-called "poldermodel": the Dutch tradition of consensus decision-making, see also:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polder_Model .

Mandarijn

Posted on by

Grammar: <mandarijn> [noun] [de mandarijn, de mandarijnen].

Translates to: "mandarin (orange)" or "tangerine (orange)"

For some reason, the supply of mandarin oranges in The Netherlands is abundant in the autumn and winter season. They are omnipresent in the supermarkets.

Examples:
1. "Het is weer mandarijnen tijd."
("It’s mandarin orange time again.")

2. "Frank neemt altijd twee mandarijnen mee naar het werk."
("Frank always brings two mandarin oranges to work.")

3. "In een mandarijn zit veel vitamine C."
("There’s a lot of vitamin C in a mandarin orange.")

Related Words:
1. "sinaasappel": orange
2. "appel": apple
3. "fruit": fruit
4. "pellen’: to peel

Example: "Een mandarijntje is makkelijker te pellen dan een sinaasappel."
("It’s easier to peel a little mandarin than an orange.")