Category Archives: Dutch word of the day

Kijken

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to watch/see/look [verb] [keek, gekeken; ‘kij-kun’]

The use of ‘kijken’ is best illustrated with a few examples (see below). Also, many so-called ‘samengestelde werkwoorden’ ("composed verbs") exist with ‘kijken’ as the main verb, see ‘Related words’.

Examples:
1. "De jeugd van tegenwoordig kijkt te veel televisie."
("Today’s youth watch too much television.")

2. "We zullen kijken wat we er aan kunnen doen!"
("We will see what we can do about it!")

3. "Kijk wie er daar aan komt lopen!"
("Look who’s coming there!" The construction ‘komen aanlopen’ in this context means ‘to arrive walking’ or ‘to walk in the direction of the speaker’.)

4. "Kijk uit!"
("Watch out!")

5. "Kijk me aan als ik tegen je praat!"
("Look at me when I’m talking to you!")

6. "Die man kijkt alsof hij water ziet branden!"
("That guy looks as if he sees water burn!")

7. "Kan ik u helpen?" – "Nee, ik kijk even rond."
(<in a shop:>"Can I help you?" – "No, I’m just browsing.")

Expressions:
1. "Kijken, kijken, niet kopen!".
Literally "looking, looking, not buying", often used to say to Dutch people when abroad, mocking the Dutch conservative spending pattern 🙂

2. "Kijk maar!"
Something like "just see", indicating you leave it up to the other to decide on what to do or how to progress.

3. "Even kijken…"
"Let me see…" Often the word ‘even’ becomes ‘effe’, which is very informal.

4. "De kat uit de boom kijken."
"Wait to see which way the wind blows / which way the cat jumps", literally: "To look the cat out of the tree". This expression appeared earlier in 66. Boom.

Related words:
1. "Bekijken": to look with the objective to inspect or to study.

Examples:
a. "Heb jij het menu al bekeken?"
("Have you looked at the menu yet?")

b. "Ik moet het nog even bekijken."
("I have to look into it yet.")

c. "Bekijk het maar!"
Figurative use meaning "to hell with it", "sod it" or equivalent. This expression is however very acceptable to use.

2. "Rondkijken": to browse (in a shop), to look around.
3. "Uitkijken": to watch out, to look out for, to be on the look-out.
4. "Aankijken": to look at (somebody), to wait and see (before deciding).

Example:
"Ik kijk het nog even aan…"
("I’ll wait and see…")

5. "Verrekijker": binoculars (literally: far lookers).

Staking

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Grammar: <staking> [noun] [de staking, de stakingen].

Translates to: “strike”.

The verb that goes with “staking” is “staken”, which means “to strike”. The Dutch are not eager to strike but it happens once in a while, especially in public transportation.

Examples:
1. “In de vier grote steden is er vandaag een staking in het openbaar vervoer.”
(“In the four big cities, today there’s a strike in public transportation.” See ‘Extra’ below.)

This example is based on a true event ;-), see http://www.nu.nl/news/886336/10/Staking_openbaar_vervoer.html

2. “Omdat het overleg tussen de vakbonden en de overheid is vastgelopen, is er vandaag een staking.”
(“Because the negotiations between the unions and the government have reached a deadlock, there will be a strike today.”) See also “DWOTD 77. Overleg“.

3. “Vanwege de slechte omstandigheden besloot de gevangene in hongerstaking te gaan.”
(“Because of the bad conditions the prisoner decided to go on hunger strike.”)

Related Words:
1. “Staker”: striker.
2. “Vakbond”: union.
3. “Werkonderbreking”: (work) stoppage.
4. “Protesteren”: to protest.

Extra:
“De vier grote steden” (see example 1 above) is the common group name for Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Den Haag and Utrecht.

Zin

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liking/desire, meaning, sense, sentence [noun] [de zin, de zinnen]

"Zin" is truly a homonym: it has several different meanings and can be used in many contexts (the list above is not even complete!).

Examples:
1. "Ik heb zin in ijs als toetje."
("I feel like ice cream for dessert.")

2. "Nu vraag ik je: wat is de zin van het leven?"
("I ask you now: what is the meaning of life?")

3. "Pas een half uur na zijn woedeuitbarsting kwam Frank weer bij zinnen."
("Only half an hour after his raging outburst, Frank came to his senses again.")

4. "Door gebrek aan inspiratie kreeg de columnist slechts enkele zinnen op papier gezet."
("Due to lack of inspiration, the columnist was able to put only a few sentences on paper.")

5. "Ik heb geen zin!"
("I don’t feel like it!")

The following use of "zin" is quite common:
"Zin hebben in/om": to feel like. Depending on the sentence you either use "in" or "om", the latter always involving a verb.

Examples:
1. "Ik heb zin in koffie."
("I feel like coffee.")

2. "Ik heb zin om koffie te drinken."
("I feel like drinking/having coffee.")

3. "Ik heb helemaal nergens zin in!"
("I don’t feel like doing anything at all!")

Related words:
1. "Onzin": nonsense.
2. "Zinnig": sensible.
3. "Onzinnig": senseless, absurd.

Duidelijk

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clear, well, distinct [adjective, adverb]

Examples:
1. "De omroeper op het treinstration articuleert duidelijk."
("The announcer at the train station articulates distinctly.")

2. "Frank heeft vanmorgen een duidelijke presentatie gehouden."
("This morning, Frank gave a clear presentation.")

3. "Deze leraar staat bekend om zijn duidelijke uitleg."
("This teacher is known for his clear explanation.")

4. "Dat lijkt me duidelijk!"
("Obviously so!" Literally: "That seems clear to me!")

5. "Ik ontvang u luid en duidelijk!"
("I read you loud and clear!")

Related words:
1. "Onduidelijk": unclear.
2. "Vaag": vague, blurry.
3. "Duidelijk worden": [verb] to become clear/evident.

Example:
– "Nu wordt het me duidelijk!"
("Now it becomes clear to me!")

Toetje

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dessert [noun, diminutive] [het toetje, de toetjes]

 "Toetje" is an informal word for dessert. To order dessert in a restaurant, one would use the word "dessert" (which is pronounced the French way), or "nagerecht". Although "toetje" is a diminutive, the word "toe" is actually not a noun! "Toe" is a word that is used together with verbs, or in expressions, and can indicate a closure of some kind. In the case of "toetje" it will be the closure of dinner. See ‘Related words’ for other examples of the use of the word "toe".

Examples:
– "Wie wil er een toetje?"
("Who wants dessert?")

– "Ik neem bijna nooit een toetje."
("I almost never have dessert.")

– "In Nederland is vla een populair toetje."
("In The Netherlands, vla is a popular dessert.")

Related words:
1. "Vla": a typical Dutch dairy product, often served as dessert, read more at: http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vla

2. "IJs": ice cream, see also "DWOTD 23. IJsbeer" and "DWOTD 44. Raket".
3. "Toe": a word that is used together with verbs, or in expressions, and can indicate a closure of some kind.

Examples:
1. "Wil jij de deur even toe doen, alsjeblieft?"
("Would you please close the door?")

2. "Wie wil er wat toe?"
(<after dinner:> "Who wants dessert?")
3. "En nu je oogjes toe!"
(<to a child before going to sleep:> "And now close your eyes!")