Category Archives: Dutch word of the day

Binnenpretje

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private joke, secret amusement Iconspeaker_3
[noun]
[het bin-nen-pret-je, de bin-nen-pret-jes]

Binnenpretje "Binnenpretje" is composed of "binnen" (inside) and "pretje": diminutive of "pret" (fun, amusement) and means something like "fun on the inside" or: "private joke". When somebody is suddenly smiling or chuckling to himself without any context, you may assume he or she has a "binnenpretje". The noun is "binnenpret" but we typically use the diminutive.

Common usage: "Waarom lach je?" – "O niks, gewoon, binnenpretje!"

Examples:
– "Hij dacht dat ik hem uitlachte, maar ik zweer het je, ik had gewoon een binnenpretje." 
("He thought I was making fun of him, but honestly, I just had to chuckle to myself." Lit. "I swear it to you".)

– "Sander kijkt altijd zo serieus, heb jij die gast ooit betrapt op een binnenpretje?" 
("Sander always looks so serious, have you ever caught that bloke/dude chuckling to himself?")

– "Met Irene valt echt niet samen te werken, de hele tijd dagdromen en binnenpretjes!" 
("Irene is impossible to work with, all the time it's daydreaming and private jokes!")

Related words:
– Binnen: inside, indoors [adverb].
– Pret: fun, pleasure, amusement [noun] [de pret, <no plural>].
– Prettig: pleasant, enjoyable, nice [adverb/adjective].
– Gniffelen: to chuckle [verb] [gniffelde, gegniffeld].

Extra:
A popular brand for liquorice, wine gums etc. in the Netherlands is "Red Band". Their slogan is well known amongst children and adults: "Red Band, als je voor pret bent!" I mean, who is against fun??

Opzouten

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to piss off, to get lost, to bugger off, to f*ck off Iconspeaker_3
[verb]
[op-zou-ten. zout-te op, i./h/ op-ge-zou-ten]Opzouten

"Opzouten" literally translates to "to salt up", hence "to salt(-cure)" or "to pickle". It was used to refer to the activity of salting or pickling fish (herring specifically) in order to store it without going bad. Actually, it was the Dutch who invented the "haringkaken": gibbing…

Nowadays, "opzouten" is mostly used as a vulgar exclamation to tell someone to go away.

Examples:
– "Dit heeft totaal geen nut, opzouten met die onzin!" 
("This is absolutely useless, piss of with that nonsense.")

– "Ik heb goede mensen nodig, praatjesmakers kunnen opzouten." 
("I need good people, boasters can get lost.")

– "Ik ben gekke Henkie niet! Zout maar op met je geouwehoer!!" 
("Do you think I'm stupid or what?! F*ck off with that bullshit!!")

Expressions:
– "Maak dat je wegkomt!": (lit.: make that you get away) get lost! <not vulgar>
– "Scheer je weg!": get lost! <not vulgar, even a bit corny>

See Extra for the more vulgar expressions 🙂

Extra:
There are numerous vulgar ways in Dutch to tell someone to go away. Here are a few (use at own risk…):
– "Wegwezen!": (lit.): be gone!
– "Sodemieter op! / opsodemieteren!: piss off!
– "Flikker op!": (lit.) flicker up!
– "Donder op! / Opdonderen!": (lit.) thunder up!
– "Optyfen!": (lit.) tyfus up!
– "Pleur op! / Oppleuren!": (lit.) cast up!
– "Hoepel op! / Ophoepelen!": (lit.) hoop up!
– "Lazer op! / "Oplazeren!": (lit.) fall up!
– "Duvel op!": (lit.) devil up!
– "Kras op! / Opkrassen!": (lit.) scratch up!
– "Ga pleite!": (lit.) go be gone!
– "(Af)nokken!": (lit.:) go quit!
– "Smeer 'm!": (lit.) smear it!

Tegenslag

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setback, mishap, bad luck Iconspeaker_3
[noun]
[de te-gen-slag, de te-gen-sla-gen]

Tegenslag A "tegenslag" is generally more serious than a "tegenvaller" (something turning out in your disadvantage unexpectedly). It is composed of the words "tegen" (against) and "slag" (blow, stroke).

A common usage is "Met tegenslag(en) te kampen hebben", see below.

Examples:
– "Marc en Sander hebben beiden met tegenslagen te kampen, vandaar dat er onlangs weinig DWOTDs zijn gepubliceerd." 
("Both Sander and Marc suffer misfortune at the moment, that's why not many DWOTDs have been published recently." Note that the verb "kampen" originally means "to struggle/fight" but is not used that way anymore.)

– "Het project heeft vertraging opgelopen omdat we tegenslagen hebben ondervonden bij de aanbesteding." 
("The project is delayed because there were some mishaps during the call for tenders.")

– "Na herhaalde tegenslagen heeft hij de hoop opgegeven ooit nog ware liefde te ervaren." 
("After repeated setbacks he gave up hope that he would ever experience true love.")

– "Hoe gaat het met de bouw van jullie huis?" – "De ene na de andere tegenslag, echt waar, ik wou dat we er nooit aan begonnen waren!" 
("How's the construction of your new house going?" – "One setback after the other, honestly, I wish we had never started it!")

Related words:
– Tegenvaller: disappointment [noun] [de tegenvaller, de tegenvallers].
– Pech: bad/tough luck [noun] [de pech, <no plural>].

Nut

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usefulness, benefit, point, purpose Iconspeaker_3
[noun]
[het nut, <no plural>]

Fietser In Dutch something has "nut" when there is a point to it, or when it is to your advantage (or that of society if you are more of an altruist 🙂 ). A related adverb/adjective is "nuttig": when something has "nut", then it is "nuttig".

Examples:
– "Met dit weer heeft het toch geen enkel nut om je auto te wassen?" 
("With these weather condidions it is completely useless to wash you car, isn't it?")

– "Wat is het nut van jullie afspraak? Alles is toch al vastgelegd?" 
("What's the purpose of your meeting? Everything has been agreed upon, hasn't it?" Note that "vastleggen" also implies 'recording what was agreed'.)

– "Waarom moet bij jou altijd alles nut hebben; ik doe dit omdat ik het leuk vind! Klaar!" 
("Why do you believe there must always be a point to something; I do this because I like it! And that's it!" Note the use of "bij jou": it implies the other is of that opinion or always display a certain kind of behaviour etc. The word "klaar" translates as "ready/done" and can be used to indicate you are done explaining 🙂 )

– "Denk jij echt dat het hebben van een diploma nut heeft? Persoonlijk zie ik het nut er niet van in." 
("Do you really think that having a diploma is advantageous? Personally, I think there's no point to it.")

Related words:
– Nuttig: useful, advantageous [adjective/adverb].

Example:
– "Hoe was je zakenreis naar de VS?" – "Vermoeiend, maar heel nuttig!"
("How was your business trip to the US?" – "Exhausting, but very useful!")

– Zin: sense, point [noun] [de zin, de zinnen].

Example:
– "Laat nou maar zitten, het heeft geen zin!"
("Just leave it, it's pointless!")

– Noot: nut (from a tree) [noun] [de noot, de noten]. "Noot" is also used for musical/foot notes.

Meestal

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usually, generally, mostly Iconspeaker_3
[adverb]
[mees-tal]

Trein You can also use the word "gewoonlijk" but "meestal" you will hear "meestal" 🙂 Another common related phrase is "over het algemeen": in general.

Examples:
– "Ga jij met de trein naar het werk?" – "Meestal wel ja." 
("Do you take the train to work?" – "Yes, usually I do.")

– "Het zijn meestal pas afgestudeerden die hier solliciteren, maar we hebben ook vacatures voor professionals." 
("Mostly we have recently graduated people applying for a job, but we also have positions open to professionals.")

– "Ik bestel meestal rode wijn als ik een vleesgerecht kies, maar soms doe ik gewoon een biertje." 
("I usually order red wine when I pick a meat dish, but sometimes I'll just have a beer.")

– "Ik spreek wel eens een meisje aan in de kroeg, maar meestal loopt dat uit op een fiasco." 
("Once in a while I approach a girl in a bar, but usually that results in a total disaster." Note the verb "aanspreken": to approach somebody and talk to the person.)

Related words:
– Gewoonlijk: usually [adverb].
– Over het algemeen: in general, by and large.

Example:
– "Over het algemeen zien wij elkaar één keer in de twee weken."
("In general we see each other once every two weeks.")

– Vaak: often [adverb].
– Regelmatig: regular, frequent [adverb/adjective].
– Gewoonte: habit [noun] [de gewoonte, de gewoontes].