Author Archives: Marc

Werk ze!

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Have a successful and productive (working) day!  Iconspeaker_3

[Dutch phrase of the week]
[werk ze]

team-866663_640Literally “werk ze” would translate to “work them” or “work it“, but there’s not really a suitable equivalent in English. We – the Dutch – use it to express a wish to our colleagues to have a successful and productive (working) day. The use of “werk ze” is quite informal. Sometimes you may also see “werk se”, which is a direct (Dutch) notation of how “werk ze” is pronounced.

There are other uses of imperative forms of verbs, combined with “-ze” or “-se”. Two examples:
– “Eet ze”: bon appetit / enjoy your meal.
– “Slaap ze”: good night.
It seems that mostly intransitive verbs can be combined with “-ze” or “-se”, to wish someone a successful execution of an activity. But it wouldn’t be Dutch if there were no exceptions to that rule 🙂

Examples:
– “Fijne dag!” – “Dankjewel, werk ze!” 
(“Have a nice day!” – “Thank you, have a good day at the office!”)

– “Schat, ik ben weg!” – “Okee lieverd, werk ze.” 
(“Honey, I’m out of here!” – “Okay, sweetie, have fun at work.”)

– “Werk ze!” – “Vandaag niet, ik heb de griep…” 
(“Have a good day at work!” – “Not today, I have the flu…”)

Expressions:
– “Een goed begin is het halve werk“: well begun is half done.

Related words:
– Werk: work [noun] [het werk, <no plural>].
– Werken: to work [verb] [werken, werkte, h. gewerkt].

Example:
– “Ik heb vandaag geen zin om naar mijn werk te gaan…”
(“I don’t feel like going to work today…”)

Kletsmajoor

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chattering fool, blabbermouth Iconspeaker_3 Kletsmajoor
[noun]
[de klets-ma-joor, klets-ma-joors]

"Kletsmajoor" literally translates to chatter major. A "kletsmajoor" talks a lot, not specifically gossip, just a lot 🙂

A popular synonym is "kletskous" (lit.: chatter sock, see also Kletsen). Sometimes you may also see the somewhat outdated "kletsmeier".

Examples:
– "Frank is gewoon een ordinaire kletsmajoor." 
("Frank is just a tacky blabbermouth.")

– "Je noemt mij een kletsmajoor? Je bent niet goed snik!" 
("You’re calling me a chattering fool? You’re out of your mind!")

– "De griep zal de mensheid binnen 20 jaar decimeren…" – "Jij kletsmajoor…" 
("The flu will decimate mankind within 20 years…" – "You blabbermouth…")

– "Wees voorzichtig met wat je zegt. Kletsmajoors komen niet ver in de politiek…" 
("Be careful with what you say. Chattering fools will not get far in politics…")

Expressions:
– "Iemand de oren van het hoofd kletsen.": to talk the hind leg off
a donkey / to talk really much. (Literally: to talk the ears off
someone’s head).
– "Uit je nek kletsen.": to talk nonsense. (Literally: to talk out of your neck).

Example:
"Frank zat weer behoorlijk uit z’n nek te kletsen tijdens de vergadering."
("Frank was really talking nonsense again during the meeting.")

Related words:
– Kletsen: to chat, to chatter [verb] [kletsen, kletste, h. gekletst].
– Roddelen: to gossip [verb] [roddelen, roddelde, h. geroddeld].

Example:
– "Ik? Een affaire met de buurvrouw? Wie heeft er geroddeld? Dat slaat nergens op!" 
("Me? An affair with my neighbour? Who told you that gossip? That makes no sense at all!")

Uier

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udder Iconspeaker_3 Uier

[noun]
[de ui-er, de ui-ers]

“Uiers” are the mammary glands of ruminants: mammals that re-chew their plant-based food before further processing. The most well-known Dutch animal with “uiers” is of course a “koe”: a cow 🙂

Sometimes “uiers” are used to refer to a woman’s (large) breasts, but this is strongly sexist and derogatory.

“Uier” has nothing to do with “ui“: onion…

Examples:
– “Een koe produceert melk via de uier.” 
(“A cow produces milk via the udder.”)

– “Ken jij nog meer dieren met uiers?” – “Jazeker: geiten en schapen hebben ook uiers.” 
(“Do you know more animals with udders?” -“Sure: goats and sheep have udders too.”)

– “Anita is afgestudeerd op de invloed van uierbehandeling op de kwaliteit van melk.” -“Te gek! Dat wist ik niet!” 
(“Anita has graduated on the influence of udder care on milk quality.” – “Great! I didn’t know that!”)

Expressions:
– “Melk is goed voor elk”: (Dutch rhyme) milk is good for everybody.

Related words:
– Melk: milk [noun] [de melk, <no plural>].
– Melken: to milk [verb] [melken, molk, h. gemolken].

Example:
– “Koeien worden tegenwoordig niet meer door de boer zelf maar door een machine gemolken.”
(“Nowadays, cows are no longer milked by the farmer himself, but by a machine.”)

– Borst: 1. chest. 2. breast [noun] [de borst, de borsten].
– Koe: cow [noun] [de koe, de koeien].
– Schaap: sheep [noun] [het schaap, de schapen].
– Geit: goat [noun] [de geit, de geiten].

Niet goed snik

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out of one’s mind, crazy Iconspeaker_3 Nietgoedsnik

[Dutch phrase of the week]

A "snik" is a sob. "Niet goed snik" is used to refer to a person’s deranged state of mind. Synonymous expression is "niet goed wijs" or "niet wijs" (lit.: not wise).

Examples:
– "Je bent niet goed snik: drie wollen dekens op je bed is veel te warm voor nu!" 
("You’re out of your mind: three woollen blankets on your bed is much too warm for now!")

– "Sinterklaas die op een schimmel over de Nederlandse daken rijdt, je bent niet goed snik, dat is onmogelijk!" 
("Sinterklaas who rides on a grey over the Dutch rooftops, you’re out of your mind, that’s impossible!")

– "Je bent niet goed snik als je met dit weer in de auto stapt! De wegen zijn veel te glad door de sneeuw." 
("You’re out of your mind if you get in the car with this weather! The roads are way too slippery because of the snow.")

Expressions:
– "Niet goed wijs" / "Niet wijs": out of one’s mind.
– "Van de pot gerukt": out of one’s mind. Lit.: ripped from the pot.

Related words:
– Gek: 1. crazy [adjective]. 2. lunatic [noun] [de gek, de gekken].
– Dwaas: foolish [adjective]. 2. fool [noun] [de dwaas, de dwazen].
– Gestoord: mentally disturbed, insane.

Deken

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1. blanket Iconspeaker_3 Deken

[noun]
[de de-ken, de de-kens]

A "deken" is a blanket. Good old-fashioned blankets on Dutch beds are more and more replaced with "dekbedden": duvets.

Examples:
– "Heb je nog een deken? Ik heb het koud." 
("Do you have another blanket? I’m cold." Lit.: "I have it cold.")

– "Zijn liefde is als een warme deken…" 
("His love is like a warm blanket…")

– "Ik denk dat ik de griep heb." – "Neem nog een extra deken en blijf in bed." 
("I think I have the flu." – "Take extra blanket and stay in bed.")

Expressions:
– "Onder de dekens": (lit.) under the blankets: in bed.

Related words:
– Bed: bed [noun] [het bed, de bedden].
– Laken: sheet [noun] [het laken, de lakens].

Example:
– "Tussen de lakens."
("Between the sheets.")

– Kleed: rug, cloth [noun] [het kleed, de kleden].

Extra:
Michael Jackson’s third child Prince Michael Jackson II is nicknamed Blanket, which is translated to "Dekentje" in Dutch: little blanket…


2. deacon Iconspeaker_3
[noun]
[de de-ken, de de-kens]
Deacon

A "deken" is also a deacon: a clerical rank.

The Dutch word for dean is "decaan": the chairman of a faculty at a university, or "schooldecaan": An officer of a college or high school who counsels students and supervises the enforcement of rules.

Examples:
– "De deken leidde de hoogmis in de basiliek van Meerssen." 
("The deacon was leading the high mass in Meerssen’s basilica.)

– "Weet jij het verschil tussen een deken en een bisschop?" 
("Do you know the difference between a deacon and a bishop?")

Related words:
– Kerk: church [noun] [de kerk, de kerken].
– Priester: priest [noun] [de priester, de priesters].
– Pastoor: pastor, father, priest [noun] [de pastoor, de pastoors].
– Bisschop: bishop [noun] [de bisschop, de bisschoppen].
– Dominee: vicar, minister, preacher [noun] [de dominee, dominees].