Category Archives: Dutch word of the day

Kont

Posted on by

rear, bottom, ass Click to listen Kont
[noun]
[de kont, de kon-ten]

"Kont" is used informally. A "kont" consists of two "billen". Dutch "konten" come in various sizes 🙂

"Kont" can also be used figuratively, for example "de kont van een auto" is the rear or trunk of a car.

Examples:
– "Hee schatje, je hebt een lekker kontje…" – "Jij viezerik!" 
("Hey baby, you've go a nice little ass…" – "You pervert!")

– "Wat zullen we nou krijgen? Er zit een deuk in de kont van mijn auto." 
("What is this? There's a dent in the rear of my car.")

– "Frank is gebeten door een hond." – "Dan moet hij naar het ziekenhuis voor een tetanusspuit in zijn kont." 
("Frank's been bitten by a dog." – "Then he has to go to the hospital for a tetanus shot in his bottom.")

Expressions:
– "Een schop onder zijn kont nodig hebben": <informal> to need encouragement.
– "Iemand een veer in zijn kont steken": to compliment someone with the intention to please.

Example:
– "Bedankt voor deze veer in mijn kont." – "Graag gedaan!"
("Thanks for the compliment." – "You're welcome!")

– "Kont schoppen": <literal translation> to kick ass
– "Geen reet (+ werkwoord)": <informal> (+verb) really not . See the example in Related words.

Related words:
– Achterste: behind, rear, bottom [noun] [het achterste, de achtersten].
– Bil: buttock, bun [noun] [de bil, de billen].
– Reet: ass [noun] [de reet, de reten].

Example:
– "De zee is vervuild door olie." – "Dat interesseert me echt geen reet…"
("The sea is polluted by oil." – "I really don't care…" Lit.: "That really interests me no ass.")

Ravage

Posted on by

huge mess, ravage(s), debris Click to listen
[noun]
[de ra-va-ge, de ra-va-ges]

DomUtrecht "Ravage" is the mess resulting from destruction or demolition. Typically it is also used colloquially for a huge (physical) mess in general. Once a bookshelf topped over in my apartment; the result was a 'ravage'. So not necessarily there is real debris involved 🙂

Note that in 'ravage' the 'g' is pronounced as 'zj', as is the case with "lekkage".

Examples:
– "Moet je dat zien, wat een ravage!" – "Nou, ik vind het wel meevallen hoor." 
("Look at that, what an enormous mess!" – "Well, I don't think it's that bad actually.")

– "De inbrekers hebben niet alleen mijn sieraden gestolen, ze hebben ook nog eens een enorme ravage veroorzaakt!" 
("Not only did the burglars steal my jewelry, they also created a terrible mess!")

– "Na het bombardement was het centrum van de stad één grote ravage." 
("After the bombing, the city centre was in pieces." Lit. 'one big mess'. The word 'één' is emphasized to indicate that it was 'completely' in pieces.)

– "Toen de supporters het Museumplein in Amsterdam verlieten na de verloren finale, lieten zij een enorme ravage achter." 
("When the supporters left the Museumplein in Amsterdam after the lost final, they left behind a huge mess.")

Related words:
– Puin: debris [noun] [het puin, <no plural>].
– Puinhoop: heap of rubble [noun] [de puinhoop, de puinhopen].
– Troep/zooi/bende: mess [noun] [de troep/zooi/bende, <no plural>].
– Chaos: chaos [noun] [de chaos, <no plural>].
– Opruimen: to clear out, to clean up (mess) [verb] [ruimde op, opgeruimd].
– Puinruimen: to sort things out, to clean up the mess [verb] [ruimde puin, puingeruimd].

Trammelant

Posted on by

trouble, hassle, fuss, fight Click to listen
Trammelant
[noun]
[de tram-me-lant, <no plural>]

There are a lot of Dutch words for 'trouble'. "Trammelant" is one. The use of "trammelant" is quite informal. See Extra for more synonyms. According to Genootschap Onze Taal (an association of devoted Dutch language lovers) "trammelant" originates from the French 'tremulant': trembling. A more formal synonym for "trammelant" would be "moeilijkheden": difficulties…

"Trammelant" can be used to refer to both the sounds or noise that is created by the trouble, and the actual trouble or fight itself. 

Examples:
– "Sander, ik kan al een week niet printen. Wat een trammelant!" 
("Sander, I can't print for a week. What a fuss!")

– "Op de kermis van Tilburg heeft een billenknijper grote trammelant veroorzaakt." 
("On the Tilburg fair, a bottom squeezer has caused big trouble.")

– "Kijk die tortelduifjes…" – "Wacht maar totdat ze getrouwd zijn…niets dan trammelant." 
("Look at those lovebirds…" – "Just wait until they're married…nothing but trouble.")

– "Doe toch niet zo onnozel! Nu lach je, maar straks is er trammelant!" 
("Don't be so stupid! You're laughing now, but there will be trouble later!" Lit.: "Don't do/act so stupid…")

Expressions:
– "In de puree zitten": to be in trouble (lit.: to be in the mashed potatoes).
– "In de penarie zitten": to be in trouble.

Example:
– "Frank is helemaal blut. Hij zit financieel echt in de penarie."
("Frank is completely broke. He's really in trouble financially.")

Extra:
Here's an (incomplete) list of synonyms for "trammelant":
Bonje, ellende, gedoe, gedonder, gelazer, heibel, herrie, kabaal, keet, lawaai, moeilijkheden, narigheid, paniek, rotzooi, ruzie, sores, stennis, stampij, and many more…

Vermoeiend

Posted on by

tiring, wearying, tiresome Click to listen
[adjective]
[ver-moei-end]

4daagse "Vermoeiend" is related to "moe": tired. The verb is "vermoeien": to tire (out), to fatigue. You can also use "vermoeiend" when something is mentally tiring, i.e. tiresome, numbing, boring etc.

Examples:
– "Hoe was de vergadering?" – "O, je wilt het niet weten, zó vermoeiend!" 
("How was the (work) meeting?" – "Oh, you don't want to know, so tiresome!")

– "Ik vermoei me niet met dat soort ellenlange verhalen; ik ga liever naar de film!" 
("I don't wear myself out with such neverending stories; I'd rather go to the movies!")

– "De deelname aan de Nijmeegse Vierdaagse is vermoeiend, maar zeker ook bevredigend, tenminste, als je de finish haalt :-)" 
("Participation to the "Nijmeegse Vierdaagse" is tiring, but certainly also gratifying, if you reach the finish line that is :-)")

– "Houdt dat mens nooit op met praten, dit is zo vermoeiend!" 
("Will that woman never stop talking, this is so tiresome!" Note the use of "dat mens": derogatory for "that woman" although "mens" translates as 'human' in general.)

Related words:
– Afmatten: to tire out, to fatigue [verb] [matte af, afgemat]. "Afmatten" is more tiring than "vermoeien" 🙂
– Afmattend: tiring, knackering [adjective].
– Moe: tired [adjective].
– Uitgeput: exhausted [adjective].

Printen

Posted on by

to print (out) Click to listen
[verb]
[prin-ten, print-te, ge-print]

Printer "Printen" is typically used when printing computer generated content. You will also hear the verb "uitdraaien" and the noun "uitdraai" (print-out), as well as "uitprinten" (to print out). The latter emphasizes that
there is some kind of paper output, as opposed to for example printing
to PDF.

The general Dutch word for "to print (out/off)" is "afdrukken" which you will for example use in relation to photographs.

As the Dutch are kings and queens of diminutives take note of the noun "printje" (informal), which translates as "print-out".

Examples:
– "Vergeet niet de routebeschrijving uit te printen!" 
("Don't forget to print out the directions!")

– "Man, je print toch geen document uit van 200 pagina's als het zo druk is op kantoor?!" 
("Oh man… who prints a 200 page document when it is this busy at the office!" Note that the implied question is captured in the word 'toch'.)

– "Ik heb net je mailtje uitgeprint; niet echt milieubewust, dat geef ik toe." 
("I've just printed out your e-mail; not really environmentally aware, that I'll admit." Note the verb "toegeven": to admit.)

– "Vroeger printte ik bijna alles uit maar met dit nieuwe scherm kan ik alles prima lezen." 
("I used to print out almost everything but with this new screen I can read everything just fine!")

– "Deze foto's zien er niet uit. Misschien moet ik ze laten afdrukken in plaats van thuis printen." 
("These pictures look terrible. Perhaps I should have them printed off properly instead of printing them at home." Note the use of "er niet uit zien": to look terrible/ridiculous/etc. (depending on context).)

Related words:
– Uitprinten: to print out [verb] [printte uit, uitgeprint].
– Uitdraaien: to print out (computer generated content) [verb] [draaide uit, uitgedraaid].
– Uitdraai: print-out [noun] [de uitdraai, de uitdraaien].
– Printer: printer [noun] [de printer, de printers].

Example:
– "Sander!! De printer doet het niet!!"
("Sander!! The printer doesn't work!!")

– Printje: print-out [noun] [het printje, de printjes].

Example:
– "Ga je naar de printer? Kun je dan voor mij even mijn printjes meenemen? Dankjewel!!"
("Are you heading for the printer? Could you please bring back my print-outs? Thanks!!")

– Afdrukken: to print (off) [verb] [drukte af, afgedrukt].