turn [noun] [de beurt, de beurten]
Here “turn” as in “it is your turn” is meant.
Examples:
1. <shop attendant:> “Wie is er aan de beurt?”
(“Who’s turn is it?”).
2. <in a game> “Jij bent aan de beurt!”
(“It is your turn!”). This is often abbreviated to: “jij bent!”
3. “Beurt” has a specific meaning in the world of cars and car mechanics.
When you take your car to a car mechanic for a check-up, you can choose
the “kleine beurt” (partial check-up) or the “grote beurt”
(full check-up).
(romantic) date [noun, diminutive] [het afspraakje, de afspraakjes]
Note: an “afspraak” is an appointment (i.e. a doctor’s appointment), or an
agreement/deal. Don’t call the doctor for an ‘afspraakje’!
Examples:
1. “Vrijdag heb ik met haar een afspraakje!”
(“I have a date with her on Friday!”)
2. “Volgende week heb ik een afspraak bij de tandarts.”
(“Next week I have an appointment at the dentist.”
3. “Maar we hadden een afspraak!!”
(“But we had a deal!!”)
(small) bag [noun, diminutive] [het zakje, de zakjes]
This word is used to indicate small paper or plastic bags, usually without handles and pretty much shapeless.
A “tasje” is also a small plastic bag, but has handles and is shaped like a plastic bag.
Examples:
1. “Boterhamzakje”: sandwhich bag.
2. “Suikerzakje”: sugar bag.
3. “Vuilniszak”: garbage bag.
4. <shop attendant:> “Wilt u een tasje?”
(“Would you like a bag?”)
Caution: “Zak” is also a term of abuse, indicating a certain part of a certain male body part.
Extra:
Check out this British comedian joking about the Albert Heijn supermarket and the concept of “zakje”.
It takes 7 minutes of your lunch break and is, although a bit out-dated, highly recommended.
take-away Chinese [noun] [de afhaalchinees, de afhaalchinezen]
Literally: pick-up Chinese, with Chinese being a ‘Chinese person’. The verb ‘afhalen’ translates to:
– ‘to pick up (something at some place)’, or
– ‘to remove (something from something)’.
Examples:
– “We gaan naar de afhaalchinees.”
(“We’ll go to the take-away Chinese.”)
– “We halen vanavond Chinees.”
(“We’ll pick up take-away Chinese tonight.”)
– <joke> “We gaan naar de afvalchinees.”
(Pun to indicate the quality of the food. “Afval” means “garbage”).
box [noun] [de doos, de dozen]
The word ‘doos’ is also a derogatory term to refer to a woman (especially if it
is a stupid/ignorant woman).
See also Doos – revisited.
Examples:
1. “Gebakdoos” : box for pastry.
2. “Verhuisdoos” : move box.
3. “Wat een doos was dat zeg!”
(“My, what a stupid woman that was!”)
Caution: “Mail box” translates to “brievenbus”.