Category Archives: DWOTD 1.0

Original DWOTD post 2006 – 2013

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

Het is een bittere pil…

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It is a bitter pill to swallow… Click to listen
[Dutch phrase of the week]

Redpill_bluepill A lot of phrases to choose from today after yesterday’s loss… however, an unpleasant (to some: disastrous) fact that must be accepted. We had our hopes up and as a result the pill is bitter 🙂

You can also include for whom the pill is bitter, see the examples, however we never include ‘slikken’ (‘to swallow’).

Examples:
– “We hadden er zo op gehoopt, maar het heeft niet zo mogen zijn; het is een bittere pil…” 
(“We really had our hopes up but it wasn’t meant to be; a bitter pill to swallow…”)

– “Toen zij hoorde dat haar grote liefde met een ander trouwde was dat een bittere pil voor haar.” 
(“When she heard that her great love married somebody else, it was a bitter pill for her to swallow.”)

– “Hoe voel je je na gisteravond?” – “Wat zal ik zeggen, een bittere pil jongen, ik ben erg teleurgesteld!” 
(“So how do you feel after last night?”- “What can I say, a bitter pill to swallow man, I am really disappointed.”)

– “Het verlies tegen Spanje is een bittere pil voor alle Oranjesupporters.” 
(“The loss against Spain is a bitter pill to swallow for all supporters of ‘Oranje’.”)

– “Heb je voor mij een biertje?” – “Man, het is half tien ‘s ochtends!” – “Ik weet het, maar ik moet even die bittere pil wegspoelen!” 
(“Do you have a beer for me?” – “Dude/mate, it is half past nine in the morning!” – “I know, but I need to wash down that bitter pill!”)

Expressions:
– “Terug naar de orde van de dag!”: back to the order of the day!
– “Er kan er maar één de winnaar zijn!”: there can only be one winner!
– “Ah joh, het is maar een spelletje!”: hey, it is just a game!
– “Je kan niet alles hebben!”: you can’t have it all!
– “Volgende keer beter!”: better luck next time! Lit. ‘next time better!’.

Related words:
– Verlies: loss [noun] [het verlies, de verliezen].
– Hoop: hope [noun] [de hoop, <no plural>].
– Teleurstelling: disappointment [noun] [de teleurstelling, <no plural>].
– Desastreus: disastrous [adverb/adjective].

Trots

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1. proud Iconspeaker_3 Trots
[adjective/adverb]

"Trots" can be both adjective and noun (see 2.), respectively translated with "proud" and "pride".

"To be proud of" is translated with "trots zijn op".

Examples:
– "Wij zijn trots dat Nederland de finale heeft gehaald. Helemaal toppie!" 
("We're proud of Holland making it to the final. Absolutely fantastic!")

– "Ik ben er trots op dat ik tegen alle verwachtingen in zo ver gekomen ben." 
("I'm proud of getting this far, against all odds.")

– "De ouders zijn ontzettend trots op hun zoon." 
("The parents are really proud of their son.")

Expressions:
– "Trots als een pauw": .as proud as a peacock, very proud.

Related words:
– Zich schamen (voor): to be ashamed (of) [verb] [zich schamen, schaamde zich, h. zich geschaamd].

Example:
– "Als ik Frank was zou ik me diep schamen…hij is dit jaar al drie keer vreemdgegaan…"
("If I were Frank, I would be deeply ashamed (of myself), he's cheated (on his wife/girlfriend) three times this year already.")

– Verwaand: presumptuous, cocky [adjective].
– Arrogant: arrogant [adjective].Nederlandse vlag

2. pride Iconspeaker_3
[noun]
[de trots, <no plural>]

As a noun, "trots" translates to "pride". The Dutch really don't take that much pride in their country ("doe maar gewoon, dan doe je gek genoeg"…), except when it comes down to soccer…Hup Holland hup!! 🙂

Examples:
– "Eindelijk vrij, ze namen je leven, je trots konden ze niet nemen…In naam van de liefde!" 
("Free at last, they took your life, they could not take your pride…In the name of love!")

– "Sta op! En vul je hart met trots!" 
("Stand up! And fill your heart with pride!")

– "Ik hou van mijn kinderen, ze zijn mijn grote trots." 
("I love my children, they are my pride and joy." Lit.: "…they are my great pride.")