Imagine something like that happening to you!
[Dutch phrase of the week] 
This sentence is used if someone wants to express his sympathy about an unfortunate and unexpected event happening to (usually a third) person. The literal translation of “Het zal je gebeuren” is “It will happen to you”; it’s the “maar” that gives this sentence the imaginative meaning: “Just imagine that that would happen to you”. The event that is referred to can range from an unimportant occurence to a grave accident or crime.
Examples:
– “Een week voor zijn vakantie ging de luchtvaartmaatschappij waar hij zijn ticket had geboekt, failliet. Het zal je maar gebeuren!”
(“One week before his vacation the flight company where he had booked his ticket went bankrupt. Imagine that happening to you!”)
– “Het zal je maar gebeuren dat iemand drugs in je drankje stopt!” 
(“Imagine that someone would put drugs in your drink!”)
– “Toen zij haar vriend ten huwelijk vroeg, maakte hij het uit! Het zal je maar gebeuren!”
(“When she proposed to her boyfriend, he dumped her! Imagine that!”)
– “Het zal je maar gebeuren dat je wakker wordt en je boot op de punt van een rots vastzit!”
(“Just imagine that you wake up and your boat is stuck on the peak of a rock!”)
– “Toen ze de inbreker op heterdaad betrapte, heeft hij haar neergestoken. Het zal je maar gebeuren!”
(“When she caught the burgler red-handed, he stabbed her. Imagine something like that happening to you!”)
