microwave (oven)
[noun]
[de mag-ne-tron, de mag-ne-trons]

If you think that “magnetron” is the Dutch translation of the name of a character from the X-men or Transformers series, you’re wrong… 🙂

The Netherlands are probably the only country in the world where the microwave oven is called by its main internal component that produces the microwave radiation: the cavity magnetron… Even in Belgium, the Dutch “magnetron” is called “microgolfoven” (i.e. the literal translation of microwave oven).

Sometimes you will see the word “combi-magnetron”, which means that the microwave also has an oven/grill function.

Examples:
– “Verwarm de saus drie minuten in de magnetron op 1000 Watt.” 
(“Heat up the sauce for three minutes in the microwave at 1000 Watt.”)

– “Kunnen we die noedels van de afhaalchinees ook morgen nog in de magnetron stoppen?”
(“Can we put those noodles from the take-away Chinese in the microwave tomorrow?.”)

– “Frank heeft nooit zin om te koken en haalt altijd een magnetronmaaltijd van de supermarkt.”
(“Frank never feels like cooking and always gets a microwave dinner at the supermarket.”)

Related words:
– Opwarmen: to heat up [verb] [warmde op, opgewarmd].
– Vermogen: power [noun] [het vermogen, de vermogens].

Example:
– “Hoe lang moet deze maaltijd in de magnetron?” – “Vijf minuten op vol vermogen.”
(“How long does this dinner have to go in the microwave?” – “Five minutes at full power.)

– Koken: to cook [verb] [kookte, gekookt].

to gossip
[verb]
[rod-del-de, ge-rod-deld]

Like most people, the Dutch like to gossip, translated "roddelen". The gossip about the famous Dutch – the "BN’ers" – can be found in the Dutch gossip magazines ("roddelbladen"), see Extra.

Examples:
– "Frank roddelt altijd achter de rug van zijn baas." 
("Frank always gossips behind his chef’s back.")

– "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!")

– "Welke BN’ers staan nu weer in de roddelbladen?" 
("Which famous Dutch are in the gossip magazines now?")

Related words:
– Roddelblad: gossip magazine, tabloid [noun] [het roddelblad, de roddelbladen].

Example:
– "Ik lees altijd de roddelbladen bij de kapper."
("I always read the gossip magazines when I’m at the hairdresser.")

– Weekblad: weekly magazine (that’s how gossip magazines like to call themselves 🙂 ) [noun] [het weekblad, de weekbladen].
– Babbelen: to chat, to chatter [verb] [babbelde, gebabbeld].
– Kletsen: to talk (nonsense), to chatter [ver] [kletste, gekletst].
– Achterklap: gossip [noun] [de achterklap, <no plural>].
– Riooljournalistiek: yellow journalism (lit.: sewer journalism) [noun] [de riooljournalistiek, <no plural>].

Extra:
The Dutch have gossip magazines too. Here’s an (probably incomplete) overview:
– Story (the first Dutch gossip magazine)
– Privé
– Weekend
– Party

Actually, in the Netherlands there are no tabloids comparable to the tabloids in – for example – the UK (Daily Star, The Sun, etc.). The Dutch newspaper "Telegraaf" has somewhat the look and feel of a tabloid, but is still considered to be a quality newspaper. The Telegraaf has a special gossip section though, with selection of the topics and articles in the Privé gossip magazine…

regret 
[noun]
[de spijt, <no plural>]

"Spijt" is the Dutch equivalent of "regret". It is often used in the construction "spijt hebben van iets", which literally translates to "to have regret over something", but which is commonly translated with "to regret something".

The related verb is "spijten": to regret. You may sometimes here the somewhat formal phrase: "Het spijt me", which literally translates to "It regrets me", but which is best translated with "I’m sorry". However, the Dutch mostly use "sorry" to express their regret over small everyday issues 🙂

Examples:
– "Ik heb geen spijt van mijn beslissing." 
("I don’t regret my decision.")

– "Zullen we nog een afzakkertje doen?" – "Het spijt me, ik ben blut…"
("Shall we have one for the road?" – "I’m sorry, I’m broke…")

– "Spijt…dat heb ik een paar keer gehad…" 
("Regrets…I’ve had a few…" Lit.: "Regret…I’ve had that a couple of times…")

– "Het spijt me voor je."
("I feel sorry for you.")

– "Waarom heb je de afwas nog niet gedaan?" – "Sorry schat, er was voetbal op TV…"
("Why haven’t you done the dishes yet?" – "Sorry honey, there was (a) soccer (match) on TV…")

Expressions:
– "Tot mijn/onze spijt": I/we regret to [+ verb]. Lit.: "To our regret".

Example:
– "Tot onze spijt moeten wij u mededelen dat de trein van half tien niet zal vertrekken vandaag." 
("We regret to inform you that the 9.30h train will not depart today.")

– "Spijt betuigen": to express one’s regrets.

Related words:
– Helaas: unfortunately [adverb].
– Jammer: too bad, (it’s a) pity [adverb].
– Berouw: remorse [noun] [het berouw, <no plural>].

Example:
– "Zondaar! Toon berouw over uw zonden, en gij zult vergeven worden!"
("Sinner! Show remorse over your sins, and thou shallt be forgiven")

1. belt
[noun]
[de riem, de rie-men]

The most common use for "riem" is in combination with a pair of trousers. To clarify the use of a "riem", its ‘purpose’ is sometimes added, e.g. "broekriem": (lit.) pants belt, or "veiligheidsriem": safety belt.

Examples:
– "Die bruine riem past niet bij die zwarte broek." 
("That brown belt does not go well with those black trousers.")

– "Ik doe even mijn riem los, ik moet even uitbuiken…" 
("I’m just gonna loosen up my belt, I have to sit back and relax for a minute…")

– "Dames en heren, we tonen u nu het gebruik van de veiligheidsriem."
("Ladie and gentlemen, we will now show you the use of the safety belt.")

– "Het slachtoffer dat met een riem geslagen was, heeft tegen de dader aangifte gedaan van zware mishandeling." 
("The victim that had been slapped with a belt, has pressed charges against the perpetrator over severe molestation.")

Expressions:
– "Een hart onder de riem steken": to put new heart into a person.
– "(Een stoot) onder de gordel": (a punch) below the belt.

Related words:
– Band: band, belt, strip, ribbon, tire [noun] [de band, de banden].
– Gordel: girdle [noun] [de gordel, de gordel].

2. paddle
[noun]
[de riem, de rie-men]

Second translation of "riem" is in the context of rowing: "paddle". Synonymous to "riem" in this context is "peddel" (sounds like the English "paddle"…) or "roeispaan".

Examples:
– "De kredietcrisis komt behoorlijk hard aan." – "Ja, we moeten maar roeien met de riemen die we hebben." 
("The financial crisis is a quite a punch in the face." – "Yes, we’ll just have to make shift with what we have." )

Expressions:
– "Roeien met de riemen die je hebt": one must make shift with what one has.

Related words:
– Roeien: to row [verb] [roeide, geroeid].