Category Archives: Dutch word of the day

Bestuderen

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to examine, to study, to research Click to listen
[verb]
[be-stu-de-ren, be-stu-deer-de, be-stu-deerd]

Bestuderen "Bestuderen" is different from "studeren" (to study) or "onderzoeken" (to examine, to research). Uhm, so how is it different?? You use "bestuderen" when the act of studying or researching is more like 'closely reading, observing' or 'looking closer into a matter'. A bit like 'making a study of'. Well, perhaps the examples will help 🙂

Examples:
– "Weet je al hoe de nieuwe dvd-speler werkt?" – "Een beetje, ik heb de gebruiksaanwijzing nog niet bestudeerd." 
("Do you know yet how to operate the new dvd player?" – "A bit, I haven't yet studied the manual." Lit. "… how the new dvd player works".)

– "De man bestudeerde de kaart aandachtig." 
("The man studied the map closely.")

– "De gemeente Amsterdam beweert de mogelijke gevolgen van de aanleg van de metrotunnel voldoende bestudeerd te hebben." 
("The city council of Amsterdam claims to have sufficiently looked into the potential consequences of the construction of the metro tunnel." Note that 'aanleg' is only used for roads, tunnels and the like and not for buildings.)

– "De wiskundeprofessor bestudeert naast differentiaalvergelijkingen ook algebraïsche topologie." 
("The maths professor studies algebraic topology in addition to differential equations." Note that it is more common to say 'doet onderzoek naar'. Note that it is also more common not to discuss the topics of differential equations and algebraic topology but every once in a while Sander likes to think his college degree is useful 😉 )

– "Hoe leer jij het beste Nederlands?" – "Ik heb elke week les en bestudeer uiteraard de voorbeeldzinnen van de DWOTD!" 
("What is the best way for you to learn Dutch?" – "Every week I have class and of course I study the example sentences of the DWOTD!")

– "De manager bestudeerde het rapport vluchtig alvorens het in de prullenbak te mieteren." 
("The manager briefly looked at the report before chucking it in the bin." The use of the verb 'mieteren' is informal.)

Related words:
– Onderzoeken: to research [verb] [onderzocht, onderzocht].
– Onderzoek doen naar: to research [verb] [deed onderzoek naar, onderzoek gedaan naar]. This is commonly used in the context of universities.
– Examineren: to hold an examination [verb] [examineerd, geëxamineerd].
– Studeren: to study [verb] [studeerde, gestudeerd].

Opzeggen

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1. to cancel/terminate, to resign, to give notice Click to listen
[verb]
[op-zeg-gen, zei/zeg-de op, op-ge-zegd]

“Opzeggen” in this translation has nothing to do with “zeExit_usbggen”: to say. It does however in the second translation below. The past tense of ‘opzeggen’ in its meaning of ‘to give notice’, ‘to cancel’ can also be ‘zegde’. This comes unnatural to most Dutch people hence you will mostly hear ‘zei’. “Opzeggen” is mostly used when cancelling subscriptions, tenancy or (job) contracts.

Examples:
– “Na de incorrecte berichtgeving hebben veel mensen hun abonnement op de krant opgezegd.”
 (“After the inaccurate news coverage many people cancelled their newspaper subscription.”)

– “Goedemiddag, u spreekt met Janssen. Ik wil graag mijn abonnement opzeggen.”  (“Good afternoon, this is Janssen speaking. I would like to cancel my subscription.”)

– “U wilt uw abonnement opzeggen, tja, dat kan alleen schriftelijk. De opzegtermijn is 2 maanden… en ik zie dat uw abonnement net met een jaar is verlengd. Jammer maar helaas! Tot ziens.”
 (“You would like to cancel your subscription, well, that is only possible in writing. There is a 2 months’ notice and I see we have just extended your subscription with a year. Too bad. Bye now.”)

– “Heb je het al gehoord, Paula heeft haar baan opgezegd! Een absolute aderlating voor het bedrijf!”
 (“Have you heard the news, Paula has resigned from her job! An absolute drain on the company resources.” Literally an “aderlating” is a ‘bloodletting’ and is not only a drain on resources but also implies the person was doing a very good job.)

– “Wat?! Ga je verhuizen? Wanneer?!” – “Volgende maand al jongen! Ik heb de huur vanochtend opgezegd.”
 (“What?! You are moving? When?!” – “Next month already mate/buddy! I terminated the tenancy this morning.”)

– “Ik ben van plan om mijn baan op te zeggen, maar ik weet het nog niet helemaal zeker.”
(“I plan to hand in my notice, but I am not entirely sure yet.”)

Related words:
– Ontslag nemen: to resign, to quit one’s job [verb] [nam ontslag, ontslag genomen].
– Ontslag indienen: to hand in one’s resignation [verb] [diende ontslag in, ontslag ingediend].
– Ontslaan: to lay off, to dismiss, to fire [verb] [ontsloeg, ontslagen].
– Beëindigen: to terminate, to end [verb] [beëindigde, beëindigd].
– Opzegging: termination, cancellation, resignation, notice [noun] [de opzegging, de opzeggingen].

Extra: A big annoyance in the Netherlands is the difficulty that it can take to cancel a subscription (to a magazine, cable, internet, phone). Often contracts are renewed automatically each year unless you cancel in time which usually involves a 2 to 3 months’ notice in writing. Then of course they may still pretend they never received your letter… I’ve just googled a bit and apparently there is at least one website that offers assistance in cancelling subscriptions: www.abonnementenopzeggen.nl .

2. to read out (loud), to recite Iconspeaker_3
[verb]
[op-zeg-gen, zei op, op-ge-zegd]

You will also hear ‘hardop opzeggen’ (to read out with a loud voice). Since ‘zeggen’ is used in its meaning of ‘to say’ the past tense that you will hear is ‘zei’. The verb ‘oplezen’ is used when you are just reading and not so much reciting.

Examples:
– “Als je de woorden opzegt blijven ze misschien beter hangen.”
 (“If you read the words out loud, you may remember them better.” ‘Hangen’ is informal, a bit like ‘to stick’.)

– “Elke avond zegt hij trouw zijn gebeden op.”
 (“Every night he says his prayers with dedication.”)

Related words:
– Oplezen: to read out [verb] [las op, opgelezen].

Antwoord

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answer, reply, response Click to listen
[noun]
[het ant-woord, de ant-woor-den]

doubt-623847_640An “antwoord” is a verbal or written reaction: an answer. “Antwoord” is composed of “ant” and “woord” of which the latter translates to “word”. “Ant” is probably from “anti”…

“To answer” translates to either “antwoorden” (intransitive verb), “beantwoorden” (transitive verb), or “antwoord geven” (lit.: to give answer).

Examples:
– “Geef antwoord!” 
(“Answer me!”)

– “Weet jij het antwoord op dit raadsel?” 
(“Do you know the answer to this
riddle?”)

– “Je antwoord bevalt me niet.” – “Misschien hebben we een misverstand hier…”
(“I don’t like your answer.” – Maybe we have a misunderstanding here…” Lit.: “Your answer does not please me.”)

– “Frank krijgt nooit antwoord op de liefdesbrieven die hij schrijft…hij is een beetje zielig…” 
(“Frank never gets an answer to the love letters he writes…he’s a bit pathetic…”)

– “Ik heb het antwoord op al je vragen!” 
(“I have the answer to all your questions!”)

– “Vraag & antwoord.” 
(“Question & answer.”)

Expressions:
– “Op antwoord wachten”: to wait for an answer. See also Extra.
– “Het antwoord schuldig (moeten) blijven”: to not be able to give an
answer / to not know the answer.

Example:
– “Ik moet je het antwoord helaas schuldig blijven.” – “Het geeft niet.”
(“I’m afraid I don’t know the answer.” – “It doesn’t matter.”)

Related words:
– Antwoordapparaat: answering machine [noun] [het antwoordapparaat, de antwoordapparaten].
– Vraag: question [noun] [de vraag, de vragen].
– Vragen: to ask [verb] [vragen, vroeg, h. gevraagd].

Example:
– “Pardon, mag ik u iets vragen?” – “Vanzelfsprekend.”
(“Excuse me, may I ask you something?” –
“Naturally.”)

Extra:
In Dutch schools, the following memory aid used to be taught to remember the correct order of mathematical operations:

“Meneer Van Dale Wacht Op Antwoord”

M = “Machtsverheffen”: exponents (lit.: to raise to a power).

V = “Vermenigvuldigen”: multiplication (lit.: to multiply).

D = “Delen”: division (lit.: to divide).

W = “Worteltrekken”: roots (lit.: to extract a root).

O = “Optellen”: addition (lit.: to add).

A = “Aftrekken”: subtraction (lit.: to subtract).

Currently, the order that is taught is:
1. (haakjes) – brackets
2. machtsverheffen en worteltrekken – exponents and roots.
3. vermenigvuldigen en delen – multiplication and division.
4. optellen en aftrekken – addition and subtraction.

Lliterally “Meneer Van Dale Wacht Op Antwoord” translates to “Mister
Van Dale is waiting for an answer”. Van Dale
is also the name a well-known and authoritative dictionary of the Dutch
language.

Prieel

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gazebo Click to listen
[noun]
[het pri-eel, de pri-ë-len]

snow-616319_640A “prieel” is a (half-)open garden house or (roofed) terrace: a gazebo. Fully closed garden houses are called “tuinhuisjes” and are very popular in the Netherlands. A “prieel” is rather associated with big gardens, grand sea views and the wealthy upper class…

You may also often see the diminutive “prieeltje” in stead of “prieel”.

Examples:
– “Frank en Miranda zijn getrouwd in een prieeltje op het strand van Scheveningen.” 
(“Frank and Miranda got married in a gazebo on Scheveningen beach.”)

– “Er gaat niks boven een luie zondagmiddag in ons prachtige prieeltje, toch schat?”
(“There’s nothing like a lazy Sunday afternoon in our beautiful gazebo, right baby?”

– “De barones had in het prieel  een romantisch afspraakje met haar geheime minnaar.” 
(“The baroness had a romantic date with her secret lover in the gazebo.”)

Related words:
– Tuinhuisje: garden house [noun] [het tuinhuisje, de tuinhuisjes].

Example:
– “Ieuw, er zit een muis in het tuinhuisje!”
(“Eeew, there’s a mouse in the garden house!”)

– Terras: terrace [noun] [het terras, de terrassen].

Raadsel

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 riddle/puzzle, mystery/enigma Click to listen
[noun]
[het raad-sel, de raad-sels]

crossword-146860_640Een ‘raadsel’ in Dutch can be used in the meaning of riddle or mystery. Serious mysteries or enigmas however are called ‘mysterie’ or … ‘enigma’ 🙂 It is also more common to use the diminutive in case of a riddle: raadseltje. The word “puzzel” in Dutch is typically used for crossword or jigsaw puzzles.

Examples:
– “Weet jij nog een leuk raadseltje?” 
(“Do you know another fun riddle?”)

– “Om de deur te kunnen openen, moest de avonturier eerst een raadsel oplossen.” 
(“In order to be able to open the door, the adventurer had to solve a riddle first.”)

– “Volgens de politie is het een raadsel hoe de inbreker ongezien het schilderij mee heeft kunnen nemen.” 
(“The police say that it is a mystery how the burglar was able to take the painting with him unnoticed.”)

– “Weet jij de oplossing van het volgende raadsel?” 
(“Do you know the solution to the following puzzle?”)

What is the next number?
1
11
21
1211
111221
…

Expressions:
– “Het is mij/me een raadsel!”: it’s a mystery/puzzle to me.

Example:
– “Het is me een raadsel hoe Sieneke niet de finale van het Eurovisie Songfestival heeft kunnen halen!” – “Een raadsel? Echt niet, laten we wel wezen, dat liedje slaat toch nergens op!”
(“It’s a mystery to me how Sieneke was not able to make it to the final of the Eurovision Song Contest!”- “A mystery? No way, let’s be fair, that song is ridiculous!”)

– “Voor een raadsel staan”: to be puzzled/baffled.

Example:
– “Ik sta echt voor een raadsel! Zojuist had ik mijn sleutels nog, maar nu zijn ze alweer kwijt!”
(“I’m really baffled! Just now I still had my keys, but now I seem to have lost them again!”)

Related words:
– Raadselachtig: mysterious, enigmatic [adverb/adjective].
– Puzzel: crossword or jigsaw puzzle [noun] [de puzzel, de puzzels]. Sometimes you will also see “kruiswoordraadsel” instead of “kruiswoordpuzzel”.