1. soft drink(s) [noun] [de/het fris, <no plural>] [‘fris‘]

Although "fris" is a noun, it is hardly ever used with its definite article (which – according to the dictionary – can be "de" or "het"). In this context, "fris" is short for "frisdrank", literally: "fresh drink". "Fris" is used for one (glass of) soft drink or soft drinks as a collective term.

Examples:
– "In Nederlandse supermarkten mag geen sterke drank verkocht worden, alleen bier, wijn en fris."
("In Dutch supermarkets the selling of spirits is prohibited, only beer, wine and soft drinks.")

– "Ik heb nog een enorme kater van het feestje van gisteren, ik drink vanavond alleen maar fris."
("I still have a huge hangover from yesterday’s party, I’ll just stick to soft drinks tonight." Lit.: "I’ll only drink soft drinks tonight.")

– "Doen we nog een afzakkertje?" – "Doe mij maar een frisje."
("Shall we have one for the road?" – "I’ll just have a soft drink." Instead of
"een frisje" you can also say "iets fris".)

Expression:
– "’ ‘s Avonds een vent, ‘s ochtend een vent!": Lit.: If you’re a man in the evening, you should be a man in the morning, which means something like: don’t go complaining about your hangover if you had a good time last night 🙂

Related words:
– "Kater": hangover.
– "Rietje": straw.
– "Bier": beer.
– "Wijn": wine.
– "Afzakkertje": one for the road, night cap.

2. fresh, refreshing, fit, clean, bright, chilly [adjective] [‘fris‘]

In this context, "fresh" is used to describe the fresh or cool state of a substance, person or object.

Examples:
– "Frank zag er vanochtend niet erg fris uit."
("Frank didn’t look very fit this morning.")

– "Zo! De keuken ziet er weer fris en schoon uit!"
("There! The kitchen looks bright and clean again!")

– "Vond jij het ook een beetje fris vanochtend?" – "Man! Ik moest het ijs van mijn auto krabben!"
("Did you also think it was a bit chilly this morning?" – "Man! I had to scrape the ice off my car.")

Expression:
– "April doet wat-ie wil": April is the cruellest month.

Related word:
– "Vers": Fresh.

tough, brave [adjective/adverb] [‘stoer‘]

You can say that somebody is "stoer" if he or she is tough or brave or acts that way. You can also use it ironically.

Examples:
– "Val jij op stoere mannen, of toch de meer zachtaardige?"
("Do you fancy tough guys, or rather the more gentle ones?" Notice the
verb "vallen op", literally "to fall on / on top of" but also used for
"to fancy/take to/go for").

– "Ik heb een nieuw leren jack gekocht. Wat vind je ervan?" – "Stoer hoor!"
("I’ve bought a new leather jacket. What do you think?" – "Wow, you look tough!")

– "Mijn vriendin is heel stoer, ze gaat helemaal alleen een wereldreis maken."
("My
girlfriend is very brave, she’s going to travel around the world all
alone." Lit. "she’s going to make a world-trip all alone.")

Expressions:
– "Een stoere bink": a macho man, a show-off.
– "Stoer doen": to act tough, put on a brave face.

Example:
  – <ironically:>"Wat doe je nou stoer man? Ga fietsen!"
("Trying to be tough man? Get out of here!")

Related words:
– "Stoerdoenerij": macho behaviour, show-off.

Example:
  – "Moet je die gasten zien in die asobak! Wat een stoerdoenerij!"
("Look at those guys in that big car! What a show-off!" Note the usage
of the word "bak" which is speech for a big car. Add "aso" – short for
antisocial – for a very big car. In the Netherlands big cars are not
always appreciated due to pollution or just being in the way (which is
easy in Dutch cities 🙂 ).)

– "Soft": the English "soft" is often used as the opposite of "stoer".
– "Zachtaardig": gentle, good-natured.
– "Macho": tough guy.
– "Softie": opposite of macho.

cupboard, closet, wardrobe, cabinet [noun] [de kast, de kasten] [‘kast‘]

You
can use "kast" for basically any type of cupboard, closet, wardrobe or
cabinet. If not clear from context, you can be more specific, such as
"boekenkast", see the Examples.

Good to know is the use of the diminutive "kastje": obviously in use
for a small "kast", but also the general word of choice for any small
electronic box-shaped communication device, e.g. an ADSL modem.

Examples:
– "In oude Nederlandse huizen zijn vaak inbouwkasten aanwezig."
("In old Dutch houses one often finds built-in closets." Lit. "… often built-in closets are present.")

– "De boekenkast ‘Billy‘ van IKEA is erg populair."
("The IKEA bookcase ‘Billy’ is very popular.")

– "Man, we hebben dit weekend een klerenkast gekocht, en nu moeten we 8 weken wachten: niet normaal!"
("Man, we bought a wardrobe this weekend, and now we have to wait for 8
weeks: ridiculous!" Literally we write "not normal!", which is quite
common, and so is the 8 weeks wait by the way 😉 )

Expressions:
– "Op de kast zitten": to be angry.
– "Iemand op de kast jagen/krijgen": to provoke somebody, to needle somebody.
– "Uit de kast komen": to come out of the closet.
– "Een kast van een huis": a very big house.
– "Van het kastje naar de muur gestuurd worden": to be sent from pillar to post.

Example:
  – "Nou, ik heb Casema gebeld want volgens mij doet het kastje, dat ik van hen heb gekregen, het niet. Zij zeggen dat het de schuld is van KPN. Maar KPN zegt dat het de schuld is van Casema. Ik word van het kastje naar de muur gestuurd!"
("Well, I’ve phoned Casema because I believe the device they gave me doesn’t work. They say it’s KPN’s fault. But KPN says Casema is to blame. I’m being sent from pillar to post!")

Related words:
– "La": drawer.
– "Dressoir": sideboard, buffet.
– "Klerenkast"/"Kleerkast": slang for muscular bouncer-types.

to have a taste for, to like/enjoy/be fond of (food/drinks) [verb] [lustte, gelust] [‘lus-tun’]

"Lusten" is only used in conjunction with food and drinks (or anything else that you think is edible or drinkable 🙂 ). This contrary to "houden van" which is also used for "to love somebody".

Mind that the past tense has two "t’s", this is because the stem ends with a ‘t’.

Examples:
– "Wil je een tomaat?" – "Nee, bedankt." – "O, lust je geen tomaten?"
("Would you like to have a tomato?" – "No, thank you." – "Oh, don’t you like tomatoes?")

– "Leuk dat je komt eten! Heb je nog speciale eetwensen?" – "Nee, ik lust eigenlijk alles."
("How nice that you’re coming over for dinner! Do you have any special food requirements/wishes?" – "No, as a matter of fact I enjoy everything.")

– "Vroeger lustte ik geen witlof, nu vind ik het wel OK."
("I did not use to like chicory, now I think it’s quite OK.")

– "Ik zou wel een biertje lusten, en jij?" – "Nee, ik lust geen bier, doe maar een wijntje."
("I wouldn’t mind a beer, would you?" – "No, I don’t care for beer, I’ll have wine.)

Expressions:
– "Er pap van lusten": to enjoy someting greatly.
– "Hij zal ervan lusten": he is going to pay for this.
– "Zo lust ik er nog wel eentje": yeah right! (ironically).
– "Zo lust ik er nog wel een paar!": that’s enough now / are you finished? (after having had enough of somebody’s arguments/excuses).

Related words:
– "Iets vies vinden": to dislike something (food/drinks).
– "Lekker vinden": to find something tasty (in this context).
– "Smaken": to taste.
– "Eetlust": appetite.
– "Lust": desire, lust, joy.