to sign up, to register, to apply, to enter / put forward (someone’s name) [verb] [meldde aan, aangemeld] [‘aan-mel-dun’]

This word is a special request by one of our readers. Indeed, you will frequently come across the word ‘aanmelden’ if you want to sign up for something, e.g. an event, a sports club, an exam, a course, a dating site, an electronic newsletter or a new email account. Often, the imperative mood of ‘aanmelden’ is used: ‘meld je aan!’.

Please note that the reflexive form of the verb (‘zich aanmelden’) is used when you yourself sign up. If you sign up somebody else, the normal verb is used.

Examples:
– "Heb je je al aangemeld voor de cursus? Er zijn nog maar een paar plaatsen."
("Have you already signed up for the course? There are only a few places left.")

– "Altijd al noten willen leren lezen? Meld je vandaag nog aan voor muzieklessen."
("Always wanted to be able to read music? Sign up today for music lessons." Note that we say "notes" instead of "music" 🙂 )

– "Zij meldde haar dochtertje aan als nieuw lid bij de zwemclub."
("She put forward/entered her (young/small) daughter for membership of the swimming club.")

Related words:
– "Afmelden": to cancel, to sign out.
– "Zich opgeven": to enrol, to sign up.

Example:
– "Ze gaf zich op als vrijwilliger bij Amnesty International."
("She enlisted as a volunteer at Amnesty International.")

– "Aanmelding": the entry, the application, the registration.
– "Lid worden van een vereniging": to become a member of / to join an association/society.
– "Lidmaatschap": membership.

This DWOTD was provided by guest author Laura.

"Beurs" is a word that you will most likely come across in Dutch newspapers. Its common meaning is ‘stock exchange’ or ‘stock market’ but "beurs" has other meanings too which are explained below.

1. stock exchange, stock market [noun] [de beurs, de beurzen] [‘beurs‘]

Here "beurs’ can also be used for the building in which the trading takes place.

Examples:
– "De beurs zakte gisteren tot haar diepste punt sinds 11 september 2001."
("The stock market plunged to its lowest level since September 11, 2001.")

– "De negatieve verwachtingen van de Amerikaanse economie zorgden voor paniek op de beurs."
("Negative expectations of the US economy caused panic on the stock exchange.")

– "Unilever is een beursgenoteerde onderneming."
("Unilever is quoted on the stock exchange.")

Related words:
– "Beurskoers": quotation, share price.
– "Beurskrach": crash, slump.

2. scholarship, grant [noun] [de beurs, de beurzen] [‘beurs‘]

Example:
– "Zij heeft een beurs gekregen voor Columbia University."
("She has gained a scholarship for Columbia University.")

3. wallet, purse [noun] [de beurs, de beurzen] [‘beurs‘]

The related word "portemonnee" is a bit more common.

Example:
– "Mijn beurs is al twee keer door zakkenrollers gestolen."
("My wallet has already been stolen twice by pickpockets.")

Related word:
– "Portemonnee": wallet. Derived from French ‘porter’ (to carry) and ‘monnaie’ (money).

4. fair, exhibition [noun] [de beurs, de beurzen] [‘beurs‘]

Example:
– "In januari vond de Vakantiebeurs plaats in de Jaarbeurs in Utrecht."
("The Vacation/Holiday/Travel Fair took place at the Jaarbeurs in Utrecht in January.")

5. overripe / mushy, black and blue [adjective] [‘beurs‘]

Examples:
– "Na mijn eerste twee dagen snowboarden waren mijn billen helemaal beurs."
("After my first two days snowboarding my behind was completely black and blue.")

– "De bokser sloeg zijn tegenstander beurs / tot moes."
("The boxer beat his opponent to pulp.")

This DWOTD was provided by guest author Laura.

flag [noun] [de vlag, de vlaggen] [‘vlag‘]

Are you still wondering why flags were put out everywhere yesterday? Of course because of our Queen’s 70th birthday yesterday! As explained in DWOTDs "Koninginnedag" and "Verjaardag", the Queen’s (late) mother’s birthday is celebrated on Queen’s Day (instead of her own), and Queen Beatrix’ birthday is on January 31st.

You can tell that the event bears a relationship to the Royal House if the flag is accompanied by a small orange streamer attached to the top of the flagpole. On Queen’s Day and all royal birthdays and births, both the orange streamer ("wimpel") and the national red-white-blue flag are put out. On all other events (Remembrance Day, Liberation Day, etc.), only the national flag is put out.

When adolescents pass their high school exams, the national flag is put out accompanied by a couple of schoolbooks or a schoolbag, see 227. Slagen.

In villages near the coast and now predominantly in Scheveningen, ‘Vlaggetjesdag’ (Lit.: ‘little flags day’) is celebrated since the 1950s. First it was celebrated the day before the Dutch herring fleet went out to sea. Nowadays, people celebrate the arrival of ‘Nieuwe Haring’, Dutch herring. Check out www.vlaggetjesdag.com for the programme of this year’s ‘Vlaggetjesdag’ (which will take place on June 7).

All twelve provinces of the Netherlands have their own flags, as do capitals of the provinces and many municipalities.

Examples:
– "De Nederlandse vlag is rood-wit-blauw."
("The Dutch flag is red-white-blue.")

– "De 7-jarige Ajax-supporter zwaaide met zijn vlag tijdens de wedstrijd".
("The 7-year old Ajax supporter waved his flag during the match").

Expressions:
– "Met vlag en wimpel": with flying colours. Literally: "with flag and streamer".
– "Is ze nog steeds boos op je? – Ik weet het niet, ik zal eens kijken hoe de vlag erbij hangt."
("Is she still mad at you? -I don’t know, I will see which way the wind blows" Lit.: "…how the flags hangs.").

Related words:
– "Vlaggen": to wave, raise, put/hang out the flag.

Example:
– "De scheidrechter vlagde voor buitenspel."
("The referee raised the flag for offside").

– "Vlaggenstok": flagpole, flagstaff.
– "Zwaaien": to wave, to swing/sway.

This DWOTD was provided by guest author Laura.

The Dutch translation of “birthday” and “anniversary” is mostly the same: “verjaardag”. Sometimes “jubileum” is used as a translation for “anniversary”, see the examples in 1. and 2.

The Dutch have developed the strange habit of also congratulating family members and friends of the birthday boy/girl. We don’t know why 🙂 So do not be surprised if this happens to you. However, it seems this is changing a bit as an increasing number of people realize it is in fact strange and stop doing it.

The day on which you were born is “geboortedag”, but usually you will see “geboortedatum” (“date of birth”) when filling out forms etc.

1. birthday [noun] [de verjaardag, de verjaardagen] [‘ver-jaar-dag’]

Examples:
– “Vandaag viert koningin Beatrix haar zeventigste verjaardag.”
(“Today, Queen Beatrix celebrates her seventieth birthday.”)

– “Koninginnedag is niet de echte verjaardag van Beatrix…want zij is jarig op 31 januari…”
(“Queen’s Day is not Beatrix’ real birthday…because her birthday is on January 31st…” Beatrix honors her mother Juliana who had her birthday on April 30. Obviously the weather is also a lot better in April 🙂 )

Expression:
– “Abraham/Sara zien”: literally “to see Abraham/Sarah” this is said
when one reaches 50 – Abraham for the male and Sarah for the female.
You will see this on birthday cards or on decorated office doors.

Example:
– “Hij heeft Abraham gezien.”
(“He turned 50.”)

Related words:
– “Jarig“: No literal translation. “Jarig” is the adjective that indicates the state of one having one’s birthday.
– “Geboortedag”: day of birth, sometimes also “anniversary”.
– “Vieren“: to celebrate.
– “Feest“: party.
– “Viering”: celebration.

2. anniversary [noun] [de verjaardag, de verjaardagen] [‘ver-jaar-dag’]

Examples:
– “In 2003 vierde Cuba de vijftigste verjaardag van de Revolutie.”
(“In 2003 Cuba celebrated the Revolution’s fiftieth anniversary.”)

– “Vorig jaar heeft Lizy haar 25-jarige werkjubileum gevierd.”
(“Last year Lizy celebrated her 25th work anniversary.”)

Related word:
– “Jubileum”: jubilee, anniversary.