Author Archives: Marc

Koekeloeren

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to (sit and) stare, to (take a) peek [verb] [koekeloerde, gekoekeloerd] Iconspeaker_3

If you think that "koekeloeren" is in some way related to "koekoek" (cuckoo), you’re wrong. It’s a verb that is used informally to describe a somewhat dull or furtive way of looking or staring. 

"Loeren" translates to "to peer/leer/spy". The etymological origin
of "koek(e)" is unknown to me (although "koe" translates to "cow"… or maybe "koek", which translates to "cake/cookie"). Readers are kindly requested to provide additional info 🙂

Examples:
– "Hee makker, zit je naar mijn vriendin te koekeloeren?" 
("Hey pal, are you peeking at my girlfriend?")

– "Frank zat tijdens de presentatie alleen maar een beetje te koekeloeren." 
("During the presentation, Frank was just sitting and staring.")

– "Ik zit hier maar naar mijn scherm te koekeloeren, maar ik heb geen inspiratie…"
("I’m just sitting and staring at my screen, but I have no inspiration…")

– "De billenknijper stond vanuit een donkere hoek naar zijn volgende slachtoffer te koekeloeren.
("The bottom squeezer was taking a peek at his next victim from a dark corner.")

Related words:
– Loeren: to peer, to leer, to spy [verb] [loerde, geloerd].
– Gluren: to peep, to peek [verb] [gluurde, gegluurd].
– Gluurder: peeping tom, voyeur [noun] [de gluurder, de gluurders].
– Staren: to stare [verb] [staarde, gestaard].

– Billenknijper: bottom squeezer [noun] [de billenknijper, de billenknijpers].

Extra:
Apperently, there’s an organised tour through the red light district in Amsterdam which is called "Koekeloeren bij de hoeren" (lit.: peeping around at the hookers)…

Hemel

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heaven(s), sky [noun] [de hemel, de hemelen] Iconspeaker_3

"Hemel" is used for the place where the good people (supposedly) go after they die, as well as for the sky that covers the earth.

Examples:
– "Onze Vader die in de hemel zijt."  Heaven
("Our Father who art in heaven.")

– "Zijn ze niet mooi, al die sterren aan de hemel?" 
("Aren’t they beautiful, all those stars in the sky?")

– "Ken je ‘De ontdekking van de hemel’ van Harry Mulish?" 
("Do you know ‘Discovery of heaven’ by Harry Mulish?")

– "In hemelsnaam, ga niet!" 
("For heaven’s sake, don’t go!")

– "De zon staat hoog aan de hemel." 
("The sun is high in the sky.")

Expressions:
– "Mijn/lieve hemel": good heavens. Lit.: My/dear heaven.
– "Hemeltjelief": good heavens. Lit.: Little heaven’s dear.
– "In de zevende hemel": in a state of total bliss, in heaven. Lit.: in the seventh sky/heaven.

Example:
– "Grace is in de zevende hemel. Ze is helemaal verliefd op Will."
("Grace is in a state of total bliss. She’s completely in love with Will.")

– "Hemel en aarde bewegen": to move heaven and earth, to leave no stone unturned.

Related words:
– Engel: angel [noun] [de engel, de engelen].
– Hel: hell [noun] [de hel, <no plural>].

Example:
– "Goede mensen gaan naar de hemel, slechte mensen naar de hel…"
("Good people go to heaven, bad people to hell…")

– Lucht: air, sky [noun] [de lucht, de luchten].
– Ster: star [noun] [de ster, de sterren].
– Aarde: earth [noun] [de aarde, de aardes].
– Hemelvaart: ascension [noun] [de hemelvaart, <no plural>].

Smoes

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(poor) excuse, pretext, fib [noun] [de smoes,de smoezen] Iconspeaker_3

A "smoes" is an informal synonym for "excuus", which translates to "excuse". It is usually a (small) story that is used to twist or cover up the truth. Although "smoes" has a negative connotation in this sense, it is not as ‘bad’ as a straight lie (which translates to "leugen" in Dutch).

Besides "smoes" you will often see its diminutive "smoesje" which makes it even less bad than a "smoes":-)

The related verb is "smoezen", which translates to "to whisper (secretly)".

Examples:
– "Ik verzin geen smoes, dit is echt de waarheid!"  Smoes
("I’m not making up an excuse, this is really the truth!")

– "Frank is weer laat vanochtend." – "Wat is nu zijn smoes?"
("Frank is late again this morning." – "What’s his excuse now?")

– "Geen smoesjes, jongedame! Niet smoezen in de klas!" 
("No excuses, young lady! No secret whispering during class!")

Expressions:
– "Een leugentje om bestwil": a white lie.
– "(Ja ja,) smoesjes!": yeah right, that’s just making poor excuses!

Related words:
– Excuus: excuse [noun] [het excuus, de excuses].
– Uitvlucht: pretext, escape, excuse [noun] [de uitvlucht, de uitvluchten].
– Leugen: lie [noun] [de leugen, de leugens].
– Liegen: to lie [verb] [loog, gelogen].

Dat doet de deur dicht

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that does it, that’s it, that is the last straw [Dutch phrase of the week] Iconspeaker_3

Literally, "dat doet de deur dicht" translates to "that closes the door". This expression is used when something unpleasant happens which makes you feel that you’ve had it with it. The tone at which this expression is used is often indignant.Door_2

Examples:
– "Mijn auto is nu voor de derde keer bekrast…dat doet de deur dicht!" 
("My car has been scratched for the third time now…that does it!")

– "Frank heeft zich deze week al twee keer verslapen."  – "Dat doet de deur dicht!"
("Frank has overslept twice already this week." – "That is the last straw!")

– "Dit is het derde jaar zonder loonsverhoging. Dat doet de deur dicht, ik neem ontslag!" 
("This is the third year without a raise. That’s it, I quit!")

Expressions:
– "Dat is de druppel die de emmer doet overlopen!": that is the last straw! Lit.: "That is the drop that makes the bucket flow over".
– "Dat is de druppel!": Short version of "dat is de druppel die de emmer doet overlopen": that is the last straw!

Example:
– "Dit weekend alweer een slachtoffer van zinloos geweld. Dat is de druppel!"
("Again a victim of pointless violence this weekend. That is the last straw!")

– "Dat is het toppunt!": that’s the limit!
– "Er genoeg van hebben": to have enough of it.

Related words:
– Deur: door [noun] [de deur, de deuren].
– Dicht: closed [adjective].
– Dichtdoen: to close [verb] [deed dicht, dichtgedaan]. Lit.: to do/make (something) closed.
– Sluiten: to close [verb] [sloot, gesloten].
– Verontwaardigd: indignant [adjective].

Ouwehoeren

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1. to talk rubbish/nonsense/crap/bullshit [verb] [ouwehoerde, geouwehoerd] Iconspeaker_3No_bullshit

"Ouwehoeren" is composed of "ouwe" (from "oud") and "hoer", which translate to "old" and "whore", hence the literal translation would be "to oldwhore"… The related noun "geouwehoer" can be more ore less translated with "old wives chattering", but somehow the old wives ended up has whores in the Dutch language…:-)

"Ouwehoeren" can be used in a negative and positive context, where in the first context it is best translated with "to talk rubbish" (see 1.) and in the latter context with "to chat(ter) (informally)" (see 2.).

Examples:
– "Wat bedoelt Frank daarmee?" – "Let er maar niet op, hij zit te ouwehoeren…"

("What does Frank mean by that?" – "Just don’t pay attention to it, he’s talking rubbish…")

– "Schat, ouwehoer niet zo en schiet op! We moeten nu gaan!!"

("Honey, don’t give me that crap en hurry up! We need to go now!!")

Expressions:
– "Uit zijn nek kletsen": to talk out of the back of one’s neck, to talk nonsense. Lit.: to talk out of one’s neck.

Related words:
– Geouwehoer: rubbish, (load of) crap, bullshit [noun] [het geouwehoer, <no plural>].

Example:
– "De kredietcrisis is de schuld van een wereldwijd financieel-militair complex." – "Geouwehoer!"
("The financial crisis is to be blamed on a global financial-military complex." – "Bullshit!")

– Kletskoek: waffle, twaddle, rubbish (talk), crap [noun] [de kletskoek, <no plural>].

– Kletspraat: waffle, twaddle, rubbish (talk), crap [noun] [de kletspraat, <no plural>].

2. to chat, to chatter, to chit-chat [verb] [ouwehoerde, geouwehoerd] Iconspeaker_3

In a positive context, "ouwehoeren" can be used when chatting while sitting back in a relaxed atmosphere.

Examples:
– "Wat hebben jullie gisteravond gedaan?" – "Een biertje gedronken en lekker geouwehoerd!"

("What did you do last night?" – "Had a beer and just chatted!"

– "Een beetje voetbal kijken en ouwehoeren over buitenspel, dat is wat mannen doen op zondagavond!"
("Just watching some football and chit-chatting about offside, that’s what men do on Sunday night!")

Related words:
– Kletsen: to chat, to chatter, to chit-chat [verb] [kletste, gekletst].

Example:
– "Kinderen! Niet kletsen in de klas!"
("Children! No talking/chatting during class!")

– "Ohaën": (sometimes (incorrectly) spelled as OH-en) short for "OuweHoer-en": to talk rubbish.