Category Archives: Dutch word of the day

Ziekenhuis

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hospital Click to listen
Ziekenhuis
[noun]
[het zie-ken-huis, de zie-ken-hui-zen]

“Ziekenhuis” is composed of “ziek” and “huis“, which respectively translate to “sick/ill” and”house”. Hence, a “ziekenhuis” is literally a house for the sick: a hospital.

Examples:
– “Marc gaat vanmiddag naar het ziekenhuis om zijn liesbreuk te laten onderzoeken.” 
(“This afternoon, Marc will go to the hospital to have his inguinal hernia examined.”)

– “Als je schaamluis hebt, hoef je niet naar het ziekenhuis.” 
(“If you have crabs, you don’t need to go to the hospital.”)

– “Bedankt dat je me naar het ziekenhuis wilde brengen.” – “Graag gedaan.” 
(“Thanks for bringing me to the hospital.” – “You’re welcome.”)

Expressions:
– “Iemand het ziekenhuis in slaan”: to beat somebody up so bad, he has to go to the hospital.

Related words:
– Arts: doctor [noun] [de arts, de artsen].
– Dokter: doctor [noun] [de dokter, de dokters].
– E.H.B.O (Eerste Hulp Bij Ongelukken) / Eerste Hulp: lit.: first aid (in case of accidents), E.R.
– Huis: house, home [noun] [het huis, de huizen].

Example:
– “Je hebt een prachtig huis, Frank, maar ik wil hier niet slapen, ik ga naar huis.”
(“You have a lovely house, Frank, but I don’t want to spend the night here, I’m going home.” Lit.: “…I don’t want to sleep here…”)

– Ziek: sick, ill [adjective].

Example:
– “Frank heeft zich vandaag ziek gemeld vanwege een zware verkoudheid.”
(“Frank has called in sick today due to a severe cold.”)

Liesbreuk

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inguinal hernia/rupture Click to listen
Liesbreuk
[noun]
[de lies-breuk, de lies-breu-ken]

"Liesbreuk" is composed of "lies" and "breuk", which respectively translate to "groin" and "rupture/breach". It is a protrusion of abdominal-cavity contents through the inguinal canal. (see Wikipedia for more info)

Currently, Marc has a "liesbreuk", in its early stage, that is, because his intestines are not hanging out just yet, like in the picture… 🙂

Examples:
– "Ik heb een liesbreuk…" – "Wat?? Ongelofelijk!" 
("I have an inguinal hernia…" – "What?? Unbelievable!")

– "Ik wordt volgende week geopereerd voor mijn liesbreuk." – "Gelukkig heb je geen schaamluis ;-)" 
("I'm having a surgery for my inguinal hernia next week. " – "Luckily you don't have crabs ;-)")

– "Een liesbreukoperatie is zo gepiept, ongeveer 20 minuten." 
("An inguinal hernia operation won't take long, about 20 minutes.")

Expressions:
– "Onder het mes gaan/moeten": (lit.: (to have) to go under the knife) to go into surgery / to need a surgery.

Related words:
– Breuk: breach, rupture, fracture [noun] [de breuk, de breuken].

Example:
– "Na de breuk met zijn vrouw, kreeg Frank weinig steun van zijn vrienden."
("After separating his wife, Frank got little support from his friends." Lit.: "After the breach with his wife…")

– Ingreep: (small) operation [noun] [de ingreep. de ingrepen].
– Lies: groin [noun] [de lies, de liezen].

Steun

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support, assistance, comfort Click to listen
[noun]
[de steun, de steu-nen]

Boekensteun "Steun" can be used for both physical, mental and financial support. The verb is 'steunen' (to support) or 'ondersteunen' (to support as in to prop up, to hold up). When you are financially supporting somebody, you can also use '(financieel) ondersteunen'.

When you are supporting a team, you are just a supporter, although of course you could be a big 'steun' (comfort) to the team when they do badly 🙂

Examples:
– "Na het overlijden van haar man had zij veel steun aan haar familie."
("When her husband had passed away her relatives were a big support to her." Note that when the Dutch say 'family' they typically mean their relatives in general. When you mean 'father, mother and children' we say 'gezin'.)

– "Het nieuwe plan vond geen steun bij de parlementsleden." 
("The new plan was not supported by the members of parliament." Lit. 'did not find support'.)

– "Dit evenement is tot stand gekomen met steun van de volgende bedrijven…" 
("This event was realized with the support of the following companies…")

– "Wij verlenen steun aan alle lagen van de bevolking." 
("We lend support / give assistance to all sections of society.")

– "Kan ik op jouw steun rekenen?" 
("Can I count on your support?")

– "Ik ben bang dat deze palen niet voldoende steun bieden, pas maar op!" 
("I'm afraid that these posts will not offer enough support, be careful now!")

Expressions:
– "Een steuntje in de rug": a bit of encouragement, a helping hand. Lit.: a bit of support to the back.
– "Iemands steun en toeverlaat zijn": to somebody who the other person can always rely on, to be a prop and stay
to someone.

Example:
– "Heb jij een beste vriendin?" – "Jazeker, zij is echt mijn steun en toeverlaat."
("Do you have a best friend?" – "Absolutely, I can always rely on her.")

– "Zijn voor": to support / to root for / to be a fan of.

Example:
– "Vanavond speelt Feyenoord tegen Ajax. Voor wie ben jij?"
("Tonight Feyenoord plays against Ajax. Who do you root for / who do you support?")

Related words:
– Armsteun/voetsteun: armrest/footrest [noun] [de steun, de steunen].
– Ruggensteun: back support [noun] [de ruggensteun, <no plural>].
– Boekensteun: bookend [de steun, de steunen].
– Ondersteunen: to support, to prop up, to hold up [verb] [ondersteunde, ondersteund].
– Ondersteuning: support [noun] [de ondersteuning, de ondersteuningen].
– Juichen: to cheer (for) [verb] [juichte, gejuicht].

Onnozel

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silly, clueless, stupid, gullible Click to listen
Onnozel
[adjective]
[on-no-zel]

Someone who is "onnozel", is a bit silly and easily tricked into believing things. A bit stupid, but in a harmless way.

Examples:
– "Dit is werkelijk geniaal!"
– "Vind je? Ik vind het een beetje onnozel." 
("This is truly brilliant!" – "You think so? I think
it's a bit silly.")

– "Alicia is altijd aan het winkelen of
aan het dromen van de ware liefde…ze
is een beetje onnozel…" 
("Alicia
is always shopping or dreaming of true love…she's a bit clueless…")

– "In tegenstelling tot Frank, ben ik niet onnozel. Hou op met die smoesjes!" 
("Unlike Frank, I'm not stupid. Stop making poor excuses!")

Expressions:
– "Zich van de domme houden": to play stupid/innocence.

Example:
– "Hou je niet van de domme, dat was een schwalbe!"
("Don't play stupid with me, that was a fake dive!")

– "Het geluk is met de dommen": You don't need to be smart to be lucky.
– "Een onnozele hals / onnozelaar": simpleton, sucker, stupid.
– "Zalig zijn de armen van geest, want hunner is het Koninkrijk der hemelen
(Matteüs 5:3)": Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven (Matth 5:3).

Related words:Forrestgump
– Dom:
dumb, stupid [adjective].

Example:
– "Je bent zo dom als je je voordoet, meneer!" 
("Stupid is as stupid does, sir!")

– Flapdrol: dweeb, idiot, loony, wacko [noun] [de flapdrol, de flapdrollen].
– Stom: stupid [adjective].

Schaamluis

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crab louse, crabs Click to listen
Schaamluis
[noun]
[de schaam-luis, de schaam-lui-zen]

“Schaamluis” is composed of “schaam” (from “zich schamen”) and “luis”, which respectively translate to “to be ashamed” and “louse”.

The Dutch call the area in which crabs tend to nest the “schaamstreek”: the pubic area, literally the shame area…

If you have crabs, your doctor will tell you: “U heeft schaamluis” (<note: in this case the singular form is used>), or “Je hebt platjes” (<plural form again>), which is more informal…

Examples:
– “Ik ben gisteren naar de dokter geweest…ik heb schaamluis…” – “Balen!” 
(“I went to the doctor yesterday…I’ve got crabs…” – “Tough luck!”)

– “Heb je het al gehoord? Frank heeft schaamluis!” – “Dat verbaast me niks met al zijn knipperlichtrelaties…” 
(“Have you already heard? Frank has crabs!” – “I’m not surprised, with all his on-and-off relationships…” Lit.: “That surprises me nothing…”)

– “Schaamluizen leven van menselijk bloed.” 
(“Crab lice feed on human blood.”)

Related words:
– Condoom: condom [noun] [het condoom, de condooms].
– Geslachtsziekte: sexually transmitted disease, venereal disease [noun] [de geslachtsziekte, de geslachtsziekten].
– Jeuk: itch [noun] [de jeuk, <no plural>].

Example:
– “Ik heb jeuk in mijn schaamstreek…” – “Misschien moet je je laten controleren op schaamluis.”
(“I have an itch in my pubic area…” – “Maybe you need to go have yourself checked for crabs.”)

– Schaamstreek: pubic/genital area [noun] [de schaamstreek, de schaamstreken].
– Soa (seksueel overdraagbare aandoening): STD (sexually transmitted disease) [noun] [de soa, de soa’s].
– Zich schamen (voor): to be ashamed (of) [verb] [zich schamen, schaamde zich, h. zich geschaamd,].

Extra:
Now we’re on the subject, here’s the STD top 7 in the Netherlands (from SOA Aids) (although crabs aren’t necessarily an STD…):
– Chlamydia (chlamydia)
– Genitale wratten (genital warts)
– Gonoroe / druiper (gonorrhea / (lit.) dripper)
– Hepatitis B (hepatitis B)
– Genitale herpes (herpes simplex)
– HIV (hiv)
– Syfilis