Author Archives: Dutch Gurus

Dip

Posted on by

Grammar: <dip> [noun] [de dip, de dips].

Translates to:
1. dip, breakdown, collapse.
2. dip, depression, recession.
3. dip, submersion (in a liquid substance).

Examples:
1. "Frank zit al weken in een dip op zijn werk."
("For weeks now, Frank is having a hard time at work.")

2. "Ik zit een beetje in een dipje."
(<informal> "I’m feeling a bit down.")

3. "Onze economie heeft jaren in een dip gezeten."
("Our economy has been in a recession for years.")

4. "Dat is een lekkere dipsaus!"
("That’s a tasty dipping sauce!")

5. "Neem even een dip in de pool, daar koel je van af…"
("Just take a dip in the pool, it will cool you off…")

Officially, "dip in de pool" is not correct Dutch (since it is English more or less 🙂 ) but during (rare) hot summer days, this expression can often be heard.

Related Words:
1. "Dal": depression, literally: "valley".
2. "Kater": hangover, literally: "tomcat".
3. "Depressie": depression.
4. "Oppeppen": [verb] to pep (up), to tone up.
5. "Oppepper": [noun] boost, lift, tone up.

Example:
"Ik heb even een oppepper nodig; doe mij maar een dubbele espresso."
("I need a boost just now; I’ll have a double espresso.")

Extra:
Read more about different dipping sauces at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dipping_sauce .

Ober

Posted on by

waiter [noun] [de ober, de obers]

Although this is a common Dutch word, it is not really used to draw the waiter’s attention (other than Dutch people mocking the upper class and imitating their posh accent for which "ober" is a very suitable word).
In real life, if you want to draw the waiter’s attention, just use the general "meneer" ("sir").

Examples:
1. "Ober, er zit een vlieg in mijn soep."
("Waiter, there is a fly in my soup.")

An old series of bad Dutch jokes exists of which each joke starts out with this sentence. For that reason, this is a well-known Dutch sentence (but the jokes are really bad).

2. "Heb jij de ober al gezien?"
("Have you seen the waiter yet?")

3. "In Spanje zijn de obers vaak chagrijnig."
("In Spain, the waiters are often moody.")

Related words:
1. "Bediening": service (see also 41. Afstandsbediening).
2. "Serveerster": waitress.

Extra:
Currently a new Dutch movie is out called "Ober" by director and actor Alex van Warmerdam. Van Warmerdam stands out in Dutch film making because he creates somewhat absurdist films. Read more about Alex van Warmerdam and his films at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_van_Warmerdam

Deksel

Posted on by

Grammar: <deksel> [noun] [de/het deksel, de deksels].

Translates to: lid, cover.

This Dutch word of the day is a special one and will free you of all your doubts and uncertainties: you can either say "de deksel" or "het deksel" without changing the meaning!
More of such words exist in the Dutch language and we will come across them in future DWOTDs.

There is no preference for ‘de’ or ‘het’ and it is a matter of ‘personal taste’.

Examples:
1. "Heb jij het deksel van de pan gezien?"
("Have you seen the lid of the pan?")

2. "De deksel van de vuilnisemmer past niet goed."
("The cover of the trash can/rubbish bin does not fit properly".)

Expression:
1. "Op ieder potje past een dekseltje": literally "on every jar/pot fits a lid", it is meant as comforting to those who still have not found their significant other.

2. "Deksels!": (old fashioned (!) ) curse meant as an acceptable substitute for the more serious curses.

Dankjewel

Posted on by

thank you, thanks [adverb]

"Dankjewel" translates to something like "thank you kindly" and actually consists of the three words "dank", "je" and "wel".

"Dankjewel" is an informal way to say "thank you" because here you use the informal second person "je".

Variations:
1. "Dankuwel": respectful form with the formal second person "u". This also works for the second person plural.

2. "Dankjulliewel": informal second person plural ("jullie").

Related words:
1. The verb "bedanken": to thank (someone).

Example:
"De voorzitter bedankte Léa voor haar toewijding."
("The chairman thanked Léa for her dedication.")

2. "Graag gedaan". This is the Dutch equivalent of "you are welcome" and a good practise of the ‘g-sound’. It means something like "done with pleasure".

3. "Alsjeblieft/alstublieft". Use either one if "graag gedaan" is too hard for you to pronounce.

Extra: ways to say thank you
Many ways to say "thank you" exist in the Dutch language.
Here are some more examples:

1. "Bedankt": thanks. A quick way to say thank you, for formal and informal use.

2. "Bedankt hè!": adding the very Dutch "hè" makes this a popular way to say thank you.

3. "Dank": like "bedankt" but less used on its own.

An example in which "dank" is more commonly used:

"Frank heeft het rapport gisteren verstuurd, waarvoor dank."
("Frank sent out the report yesterday, for which we thank him." Literally: "…, for which thanks.")

4. "Hartelijk dank": a bit formal and friendly (something like "hearty/cordial thanks").

5. "Dank u vriendelijk": other variation on "thank you kindly".

6. "Dank u/je": like "bedankt".

You will also hear:

7. "Vriendelijk bedankt": yet another variation on "thank you kindly".

8. "Ontzettend bedankt": something like "thanks awfully".

9. "Heel erg bedankt": thank you very much.

10. "Dank u zeer": thanks a lot (formal; the informal equivalent is not used).

Boom

Posted on by

tree [noun] [de boom, de bomen]

Examples:
1. "In de herfst verliezen de meeste bomen hun bladeren."
("During autumn, most trees lose their leaves.")

2. "De eikenboom was meer dan 200 jaar oud."
("The oak tree was more than 200 years old.")

3. "Heb je de kerstboom al opgezet?"
("Have you put up the Christmas tree yet?")

Expressions:
In Dutch lots of expressions exist with "boom". Here are a few:

1. "Een boom van een vent."
("A very big, tall guy", literally: "A tree of a guy".)

2. "Door de bomen het bos niet meer zien."
("Not able to see the wood for the trees.")

3. "Hoge bomen vangen veel wind."
("The bigger they are, the harder they fall", literally: "High trees catch a lot of wind".)

4. "De kat uit de boom kijken."
("Wait to see which way the wind blows / which way the cat jumps", literally: "To look the cat out of the tree".)

5. "De appel valt niet ver van de boom."
("The apple never falls far from the tree.")

6. "Je kunt de boom in!"
("(You can) get lost!", literally: "You can go up the tree!")

7. "Huisje, boompje, beestje."
("Suburban bliss" / "marital bliss in the suburbs" / (pejorative) "a boring suburban existence", literally: "Little house, little tree, little (pet)animal".)

Related Words:
1. "Blad": leaf, see also 28. Blad.
2. "Tak": branch.
3. "Twijg": twig.
4. "Wortel (van een boom)": root (of a tree).
5. "Bos": forest, bush.
6. "Woud": woods.
7. "Hout": wood (the material).
8. "Kerstboom": Christmas tree.