Author Archives: Dutch Gurus

Fronsen

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to frown, to scowl [verb] [fronsde, gefronst]

"Fronsen" is again one of those Dutch verbs that can only be used in conjunction with a specific body part, see also 30. Snuiten. The Dutch frown two parts of the body: 1. "de wenkbrauwen" ("the eyebrows") or 2. "het voorhoofd" ("the forehead").

The noun "frons" translates into "frown", the wrinkle on one’s forehead as a sign of being disgruntled or contemplating intensely.

Examples:
1. "Toen de formule niet bleek de kloppen, fronste de professor zijn wenkbrauwen."
("When the formula appeared not to be correct, the professor frowned (his eyebrows).")

2. "Van veel fronsen, krijg je rimpels in je voorhoofd."
("Frowning a lot causes wrinkels in your forehead."

Related words:
1. "Kraaiepootjes": translates to "crow’s feet".
These are the little wrinkles around the corners of the eyes caused by aging. Example:
"Een goede dagcrème voorkomt kraaiepootjes op vroege leeftijd".
("A good day cream prevents from having crow’s feet at an early age.")

2. "Wallen": translates to "bags (under one’s eyes)". Example:
"Het verdriet om zijn verloren liefde had grote wallen onder zijn ogen veroorzaakt".
("The sorrow for his lost love had caused great bags under his eyes.")

Aansteken

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to light, to infect/contaminate [verb] [aansteken, aangestoken]

Examples:

1. "Kun jij de kaarsen aansteken alstjeblieft?"

("Can you light the candles, please?" See also 32. Kaars)

2. "Door de wind kun je geen sigaret aansteken."

("Because of the wind, one cannot light a cigarette.")

3. "Op de kleuterschool steken kinderen elkaar vaak aan."

("In kindergarten children often contaminate each other." And obviously
not: "… light each other." 🙂 but it would not be an incorrect
translation.)

Related words:
– In the meaning of "to infect/contaminate" the word "aansteken" is only used when you talk about a cold or the flu. "Serious" illnesses require the use of the verb "besmetten". A "contagious disease" is a "besmettelijke ziekte".

– A lighter is called an "aansteker".

Example: "Mag ik je aansteker even lenen?"

("Can I borrow your lighter?")

Oud

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old [adjective]

Examples:
1. "Oude kaas": old cheese.
"Oude kaas" has a much sharper flavour than the standard "jonge kaas" (young cheese). Also its structure is crumblier. Types of cheese that are somewhere in-between are "jong belegen", "belegen" and "extra belegen".

2. "Oudejaarsavond": new year’s eve.
Literally this word translates to "old years eve", I guess it is just a different way of looking at it!

3. "Hoe oud ben jij?"
("How old are you?)

4. <saying> "Een oude bok lust nog wel een groen blaadje."
("An old goat still has taste for a green leave.")
This saying is used to describe the interest shown by old men in young women.

Dutch slang:
It is common in informal speech to replace the ‘d’ in ‘oude’ by a ‘w’: ‘ouwe’. Compare "ouwe snoeperd" in DWOTD 29. Snoep.
However, replacing ‘d’ by ‘w’ is only done with adjectives that have ‘oud’ at their core.

Another example is ‘koud’, which means ‘cold’. A person showing no emotions is sometimes called a ‘kouwe kikker’ ("a cold frog").

Kaars

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candle [noun] [de kaars, de kaarsen]

Examples:
1. "De aangestoken kaarsen gaven het kerstdiner een romantische sfeer."
("The lit candles gave the christmas dinner a romantic touch/atmosphere.")

2. "Met slechts een kaars, doolde de prinses door het donkere kasteel."
("With only a candle, the princess wandered through the dark castle."

Expressions:
1. "Kaarsrecht": "Straight as an arrow" (literally: "candlestraight").

Example:
"De lasergestuurde raket vloog kaarsrecht op zijn doel af."
("The laser-guided missile headed (in a very) straight (line) for its target.")

2. "Zo iemand moet je met een kaarsje zoeken".
("You can count people like that on the fingers of one hand." Literally: "You have to look for a person like him/her with a little candle.")

3. "(Voor iemand) een kaarsje opsteken."
("To light a little candle (for somebody)." (for good luck/fate) )

Related words:
1. "Kandelaar": translates to "candlestick/candleholder/candlestand".
2. "Theelichtje" or "waxinelichtje": translates to "nightlight": a very small candle, often in an aluminum cup/holder.
3. "Doven": translates to "to extinguish / to put out".

Extra:
In the old days, "theelichtjes" were mostly used to keep the tea warm. A "theelichtje" was placed into some kind of supporting frame with the tea pot on top, hence "theelichtje": "little tealight".

Fiets

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bicycle, bike [noun] [de fiets, de fietsen]

The "fiets" is a very common means of transportation in the Netherlands. Most children learn how to bike at a very young age.

You can turn "fiets" into a verb by adding -en. The verb "fietsen" translates to "to bike","to cycle" or "ride a bike".

Examples:
1. "Geen fietsen tegen het raam plaatsen, a.u.b."
("No bike parking against the window, please.")

2. "Naar het werk fietsen is gezond."
("Biking to work is healthy.")

Expressions:
1. "Ga (toch) fietsen!"
(<grumpy:> "Go away!" Literally: "Go bike (won’t you)!."

2. "Wat heb ik nu aan mijn fiets hangen?"
(<suprised:> "Hey, what’s all this?" Literally: "What’s hanging on my bike now?")

3. "Ah, op die fiets!"
(<comprehendingly:> "Aha, it’s like that!" Literally: "Ah, on that bike!")

4. "Op een ouwe fiets moet je het leren."
(Literally: "One has to learn it on an old bike." This expression has a slight sexual connotation and is used to justify a young man dating an older woman.)

Related words:
1. "Mountain bike": translates to "mountain bike" 🙂
2. "Wielrennen": translates to "(bi)cycle racing" (literally: "wheelrunning"), like the Tour de France.
3. "Rijwielhandel": old fashioned Dutch word for "bikeshop", literally: "ridewheel trade".

Extra:
A popular and typical Dutch type of bike is the socalled "omafiets" or "opoefiets" ("granny’s bike"). An "oma" or "opoe" is a "granny", not to be confused with "opa", which means "grandfather".
It is an old-fashioned women’s model, with a bent second tube between the (relatively high and wide positioned) handlebars and the pedals. It usually does not have gears and has a backpedal brake. Although it is a women’s model, it is used by men and women.
More info on the "omafiets" can be found on http://www.omafiets.nl