Category Archives: Dutch phrase of the week

Dat is geen stijl!

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That’s no way to behave! [Dutch phrase of the week] Iconspeaker_3

"Dat is geen stijl" literally means "That is no style". "Stijl" means "style" or "manner". Check out this DWOTD to see an example how "style" can be used.

Examples:
– "De autobestuurder reed die voetgangers bijna overhoop terwijl ze over een zebra liepen, dat is echt geen stijl!" 
("The driver of the car almost ran over those pedestrians even though they were walking on a pedestrian crossing, that’s no way to behave!")

– "Hij zei helemaal niks tegen haar, deed alsof ze er niet was, dat vind ik echt geen stijl." 
("He didn’t say a word to her, pretended she wasn’t there, I think that’s no way to treat people.")

– "De weblog geenstijl.nl publiceert artikelen en geruchten." 
("The weblog geenstijl.nl publishes news articles and gossip.")Stijl

– "<Plaatje:> Mondriaan en Rietveld waren Nederlandse kunstenaars die volgens de principes van "De Stijl" werkten." 
("<Picture:> Mondriaan and Rietveld were Dutch artists who worked according to the principles of "The Style".")

Expressions:
– "In stijl": stylishly.
– "Gevoel voor stijl hebben": to have class/style.

Related words:
– Stijl: style, manner, class [noun] [de stijl, de stijlen].
– Stijlloos: tasteless, tacky, ill-mannered [adverb/adjective].

Een kort lontje hebben

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to have a short fuse, to be short-tempered [Dutch phrase of the week] Iconspeaker_3

This expression is the literal translation of "to have a short fuse". It is a quality of a person (or group), who is quickly aroused to anger. Of course, the expression refers to the fact that explosives with a short fuse go off (too) quickly.Lontje

Examples:
– "De mensen hebben tegenwoordig zo’n kort lontje…ongelofelijk." 
("People are so short-tempered nowadays…incredible.")

– "Waarom is Frank zo chagrijnig? Hij heeft een erg kort lontje vandaag…" 
("Why is Frank so cranky? He’s very short-tempered today…")

Expressions:
– "Met het verkeerde been uit bed stappen": to get up on the wrong side of the bed. Lit.: "to get out of bed with the wrong leg".
– "Snel op z’n pik getrapt zijn": to be short-tempered. Lit.: to be quickly stepped upon one’s dick.

Example:
– "Als je iets zegt over Marcs bierbuik, is hij redelijk snel op z’n pik getrapt…"
("When you mention something about Marc’s beerbelly, he’s gets angry quite quickly.")

Related words:
– Boos: angry [adjective].
– Mopperen: to grumble [verb] [mopperde, gemopperd].
– Opvliegend: hot-tempered [adjective].
– Heetgebakerd: hotheaded [adjective].

Example:
– "De politie heeft de heetgebakerde bullebak onmiddellijk gearresteerd."
("The police have arrested the hotheaded bully immediately.")

Extra:
A few years ago, there was a tv-campaign by the SIRE foundation, which tried to make people aware of having a too short "lontje". SIRE tries to create public awareness on social topics which deserve more attention.

In the mid-nineties, there was a tv-campaign that warned against unsafe use of fireworks. The slogan was "Door dat te korte lontje, heb ik nu een hondje": (lit.) "due to that short fuse, I have little dog now" (i.e. a guide-dog). Of course, in English there’s no rhyme…:-)

Maar niet heus!

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But not really! / …not! [Dutch phrase of the week] Iconspeaker_3

"Maar niet heus" is often used jestingly or to emphasize an ironic statement. The word "heus" means "real", "true". It is not used that often, but you will hear it in expressions such as: "is het heus?" ("is it really the case / true?") or "heus niet!" ("no, honestly!, "really not the case!").

Examples:
– "Ja, ik heb er echt veel zin in… maar niet heus!" 
("Yeah, I really feel like it / I am really looking forward to it… not!")

– "Ik moet dit weekend naar mijn schoonouders, dat wordt weer gezellig! … Maar niet heus!"
("This weekend I’m visiting my parents in law, it will be fun! … Not!")

– "Vorige maand ben ik wezen schaatsen. Ik kon het nog net zo goed als 15 jaar geleden … maar niet heus." 
("I went ice skating last month. I was just as good (at it) as I was 15 years ago… but not really.")

Lekker puh!

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Serves you right! [Dutch phrase of the week] Iconspeaker_3

Lekkerpuh
It’s good to know what "lekker puh" means, but mind that it is used mostly by children. It is often accompanied by making a face and sticking the tongue out. The expression is used teasingly, after outsmarting somebody, to rub something in, when you think somebody got what he/she deserved etc. The translation of "serves you right" doesn’t cover it completely, but hopefully you get the gist. Also see some related Expressions.

Examples:
– "Ik ga morgen naar de Efteling en jij niet, lekker puh!" 
("I’m going to the Efteling tomorrow and you are not, ha ha ha!!" The "Efteling" is a popular (fairy tale) fun park.)

– "Ik heb van mamma het laatste snoepje gekregen… Lekker puh!" 
("Mom gave me the last piece of candy… Serves you right!")

– "Jij lachte mij gisteren uit maar nu heb je zelf een puistje, lekker puh!" 
("You laughed at me yesterday, but now you have a pimple yourself, serves you right!")

Expressions:
– "Lekker voor je!": a bit like "lekker puh", but more a cynical "good for you!".
– "(Het is) je verdiende loon!": this is what you deserve! Lit. "it is your deserved wage".

Een kind kan de was doen

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It’s as simple as that [Dutch phrase of the week] Iconspeaker_3

The literal translation of "Een kind kan de was doen" is "A child can do the laundry". This expression is often an addition to an instruction for an activity or action at hand. It stresses the fact that the action is childlishly simple. Eenkindkandewasdoen

Examples:
– "Je sluit de webcam aan op de laptop en de installatie gaat vanzelf! Een kind kan de was doen!" 
("You connect the webcam to the laptop and the installation is done automatically! It’s as simple as that!")

– "Ik stop de afwas in de afwasmachine en een uur later is alles schoon…een kind kan de was doen…" 
("I put the dishes in the dishwasher and after an hour everything is clean…it’s as simple as that…")

– "Het is nu ook mogelijk om on-line belastingaangifte te doen. Een kind kan de was doen."  – "Echt niet, ook on-line blijft het een vervelende klus."
("It’s possible now to do your tax report on-line. It’s as simple as that." – "Really no! Also on-line, it’s still an annoying job.")

Expressions:
– "Eitje": piece of cake.
– "Appeltje-eitje": a piece of cake. Lit.: little apple, little egg. An extended version the expression "eitje".
– "Een fluitje van een cent": a piece of cake. Lit.: a little whistle of a cent.
– "Een inkoppertje": a piece of cake.
– "Een peuleschil": a piece of cake. Lit.: a bean’s peel.

Example:
– "Deze kruiswoordpuzzel is echt geen peuleschil, level ‘Goeroe’ is in feite onbegonnen werk…"
("This crossword puzzle is really not a piece of cake, level "Guru" is in fact a hopeless task…")

– "Een koud kunstje": a piece of cake. Lit.: a cold little trick.
– "Een abc’tje": a piece of cake. Lit.: a little a-b-c.

Related words:
– Kind: child [noun] [het kind, de kinderen].
– Was: wash, washing, laundry [noun] [de was , <no plural>].
– Doen: to do [verb] [deed, gedaan].