buttock [noun] [de bil, de billen]

"Bil" is mainly used in relation to the human body, though animals can also have "billen". The latter would be translated with "hams" in relation to a cow for example. In general, the plural "billen" is more often used than the singular "bil". The "billen" cover more than just the buttocks area, but also a part of the upper thighs. In daily practise however, it is a synonym for the bottom/buttocks/behind.

It is quite acceptable to use the word "billen", but if you want to be on the safe side, use the word "achterwerk" which is the formal Dutch equivalent of "behind".

Examples:
– "De baby zat met zijn blote billetjes in het zand."
("The baby sat with his bare (little) buttocks/bottom in the sand.")

– "Frank klaagt altijd over de dikke billen van zijn vrouw."
("Frank is always complaining about his wife’s fat bottom.")

– "De moeder gaf het stoute kind een flink pak voor zijn billen."
("The mother gave the misbehaving child a good smack on the bottom.")

Expressions:
– "Een blotebillengezicht": a round, smooth face (babyface).

– "Van bil gaan": <slang> to have sex, to get it on (sex involved), to go at it.

– "Wie zijn billen brandt, moet op de blaren zitten": as you sow, so
shall you reap / as you make your bed, so you must lie on it.
Literally: one who burns his buttocks, must sit on the blisters.

– "Met de billen bloot gaan": to come clean (lit. to go bare/naked with the buttocks).

Related words:
– "Reet": <derogatory slang> ass. "Reet" is actually an old-fashioned word for "crack".
– "Hol": <derogatory slang> ass. Literally the noun "hol" translates to "hole" (like a fox’s hole).
– "Kont": ass, bottom. This word and the two previous examples have no plural.

Here a common informal expression is: "Lekker kontje!", which you can use for either a male or female butt that you think looks good 😉

– "Achterwerk": <formal> behind [noun].
– "Kikkerbillen": frog’s legs (French delicacy).

Extra:
"1 april, kikker in je bil!" is an expression that is often heard on April Fool’s day. The expression has no special meaning (other than the literal frog in your behind), I guess it just has a good rhyme to it 🙂

to dance [verb] [danste, gedanst; ‘dan-sun’]

The verb ‘dansen’ is used for any kind of dancing if clear from context. See ‘Related words’ for specific styles of dancing.

Examples:
– "Zullen we morgenavond gaan dansen?"
("Shall we go dancing tomorrow night?")

– "Ik dans het liefst de salsa."
("I prefer to dance the salsa.")

– "Weet jij een goede dansgelegenheid?"
("Do you know a good place to dance?" The word ‘gelegenheid’ is an opportunity to do something or a location where this opportunity can take place. ‘Dansgelegenheid’ is a bit formal, see next example for another common sentence.)

– "Weet jij een leuke plek om te gaan dansen?"
("Do you know a nice/good spot to go dancing?")

Expressions:
– "Een dansje wagen.": lit. "to dare a dance" this is informally used to say that someone is going to the dancefloor. It does not necessarily imply that the person is reluctant to do so.

Example:
– "Kijk! Opa waagt een dansje!"
("Look! Grandpa is going to dance!")

– "Als de kat van huis is dansen de muizen (op tafel).": when the cat’s away, the mice will play (lit. "when the cat is away from home, the mice dance (on the table).")

Related words:
– "Dansplek": spot/place to go dancing.

– "Danstent": spot/place to go dancing. It is common to use the word ‘tent’ (which translates to ‘tent’) informally for clubs or venues.

– "Dansles": dancing class/lessons.

Example:
– "Ik zit al jaren op dansles."
("I have been taking dancing lessons for years now.")

– "Volksdansen": folk dancing, country dancing.
– "Stijldansen": ballroom dancing.
– "Discodansen": disco dancing.

to leave [verb] [peerde, gepeerd] [‘pee-run’]

The verb ‘peren’ can only be used informally. It is always used in combination with the personal pronoun ‘hem’, which translates to ‘him’ or ‘it’. Often it is used when somebody has unexpectedly left.

Examples:
– "Jongens, ik peer hem, goed weekend!"
("Guys, I’m out of here, have a nice weekend!")

– "Ik heb Kelly geprobeerd te vinden, maar nu blijkt dat ze hem is gepeerd!"
("I have tried to find Kelly, but now it turns out that she has already left!")

Related words:
– "Peer": pear (the fruit).
– "Peer": dude, bloke, usually only used in the example: "Hij is een geschikte/toffe peer.": he is a good/cool guy/bloke.
– "Smeren": literally ‘to spread/grease’, this can be used in the same way as ‘peren’.

1. small, little, minor, short [adjective]

Examples:
– "Een Mini is een kleine auto."
("A Mini is a small car.")

– "Hij is vrij klein voor zijn leeftijd."
("He is quite little for his age.")

– "Hebt u deze schoenen ook in een kleinere maat?"
("Are these shoes available in a smaller size?" Lit.: "Do you have these shoes also in …")

– "Op wat kleine details na, ziet het document er goed uit!"
("Apart from a few minor details, the document looks good!")

– "Het is een klein stukje rijden."
("It is a short distance to drive." Lit.: "… a short part …")

2. minor (musical scale) [adjective]

Example:
– "Dat stuk is geschreven in D klein."
("That piece is written in D minor.")

Expressions:
– "Kleine boodschap.": the opposite of ‘grote boodschap’, this is when you only have to pee 😉 Literally: ‘small message/delivery’.

– "Klein van geest.": lit. "small of mind" this translates to ‘narrow-minded’.

– "Klein maar fijn.": lit. "small but good" this is used when you want to say that something does not need to be big to ‘do the job’ (no sexual innuendos implied here…)

– "Kleine meisjes worden groot.": young girls grow up.

– "(In het) klein beginnen:": to start out small.

– "Een kleine eter.": a small/poor eater.

– "De wereld is klein!": it is a small world!

– "Die het kleine niet eert, is het grote niet weert.": lit. ‘if you do not honour the small, you are not worth the big’, this is used to say that you should be happy with having little if you are to deserve having a lot.

– "Een ongeluk zit in een klein hoekje.": accidents will happen (lit. ‘an accident sits in a small corner.’)