Solliciteren

to apply for (a job), to put in an application [verb] [solliciteerde, gesolliciteerd] [‘so-lie-cie-tee-run’] Iconspeaker_3

Mind that this verb is both used for the process of putting in applications, writing the letters etc., and having the job interview itself.
You can also use "solliciteren naar" if you want to mention the job or position, or jestingly in the meaning of "asking/looking for" trouble or something else unpleasant; see the examples.

Examples:
"Zo, jij ziet er netjes uit vandaag!" – "Dankjewel, ik ga solliciteren vanmiddag".
("My, you look smart today!" – "Thanks, I have a job interview this afternoon." You can also say "net" instead of "netjes".)

"Ik ben het solliciteren zat, ik wil gewoon een baan!"
("I’m tired of putting in applications, I just want a job!")

– "Je kunt in Nederland niet zomaar een uitkering trekken, je moet wel solliciteren!"
("You can’t just live on social security in the Netherlands, you have to apply for a job!" Note the expression "een uitkering trekken", this is a bit derogatory and implies just taking advantage.)

– "Het is met veel plezier dat ik solliciteer naar de functie van algemeen medewerker…"
("It’s with great pleasure that I apply for the position of general employee…")

– "Met dit soort gedrag solliciteert Frank echt naar een pak slaag".
("With this kind of behaviour, Frank is really asking for a good hiding." Literally: … a pack of beating.)

Related words:
– "Vacature": job opening, position.
– "Sollicitatie": application.
– "Open sollicitatie": unsolicited application.
– "Sollicitatiebrief": application letter.
– "Sollicitatiegesprek": job interview.
– "Baan": job.
– "Assessment": assessment.

Extra:
There is a well-known song from the eighties that is still frequently played on the radio, called "Sollicitere" by the band  "Janse Bagge Bend" from the Dutch province of Limburg. The missing ‘n’ in ‘sollicitere’ is not a mistake; the song is in dialect. These are the lyrics and see how much you understand from the video! Other bands from Limburg that sing in dialect have succeeded in reaching a wider Dutch audience, for example "Rowwen Hèze".

Verdwalen

to lose one’s/the way, to get lost [verb] [verdwaalde, verdwaald] [‘ver-dwaa-lun’] Iconspeaker_3

"Verdwalen" is also sometimes used for appearing in an unexpected location, see the examples.

Examples:
– "Waar is het kompas? Volgens mij zijn we verdwaald…"
("Where is the compass? I think we’re lost…")

"Meneer, kunt u ons zeggen hoe deze straat heet? We zijn een beetje verdwaald."
("Sir, can you tell us the name of this street? We kind of lost the way.")

"Ik ben heel slecht in kaartlezen, maar ik heb een TomTom gekocht en nu verdwaal ik vast niet meer."
("I’m very bad at reading maps, but I’ve bought a TomTom and surely I will not get lost anymore.")

– "Hé, hoe komt die CD hier verdwaald?"
("Hey, how did that CD get/land here?")

Related words:
– "De weg kwijtraken": to lose the way.
– "Zoeken": to search, to look for.
– "Naar de weg vragen": to ask for directions (lit. "to ask for the way").

Fris

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

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‘] Iconspeaker_klein_2

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.

Stoer

tough, brave [adjective/adverb] [‘stoer‘] Iconspeaker_3

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.

Op het nippertje

at the very last moment, only just in time, a close call [Dutch phrase of the week] Iconspeaker_3

A "nipper" does not exist, nor does "nippertje" have a meaning of its own. You’ll only hear and use it in this phrase. Another version is "op het laatste nippertje": at the very very last moment.

Examples:
– "Vanochtend heb ik op het nippertje de trein gehaald."
("This morning I only just managed to catch the train." Note that the Dutch say "de trein halen".)

– "De scholier stak zonder te kijken de spoorwegovergang over, en is op het nippertje aan de dood ontsnapt."
("The pupil/student crossed the railway/road crossing without looking, and escaped death by a hair’s breadth.")

– "Iedereen was ruimschoots op tijd, terwijl Frank weer eens op het laatste nippertje arriveerde."
("Everybody arrived well on time, while Frank once again arrived at the very very last moment.")