lettuce [noun] [de sla]

Examples:
1. "Een krop sla": a head of lettuce.
2. "Koolsla": coleslaw.
3. "IJsbergsla": iceberg lettuce.
4. "Slasaus": salad dressing.
"Slasaus" is usually a bit of a thicker dressing. Normal dressing we would also call
"dressing".

Notice the influence of the Dutch language in examples 2. and 3.

Compare: "Salade".
"Salade" translates to salad. You use "salade" when you talk about a traditional salad,
i.e. lettuce mixed with vegetables or for example a Caesar salad.
However, sometimes, when you have a salad that more or less has not lost its native
‘leaves of lettuce look’ you can also still call it ‘sla’. An example would be ‘komkommersla’ (see DWOTD "Komkommer").
It is a vague distinction, even to Dutch people (as you might notice from my explanation),
but you can never go wrong by calling a salad "salade" and lettuce "sla".

Other examples of the use of the word "salade":
1. Some kinds of spread that you can put on sandwhiches or crackers. You can find them
in small packages in the super market. A well-known brand is "Johma".
2. Cold buffet type salad called "huzarensalade". Something like "Russian salad".

bathroom sink [noun] [de wastafel, de wastafels] [‘was-taa-ful’]

Literally translates to: wash table.

Related words:
1. The verb “wassen”.
This can translate to: to wash, to do laundry, to grow/to rise.

Examples:
a. “Wasmachine”: laundry machine.
b. “Wasserette”: laundromat.
c. “Afwassen” (verb): wash up, to do the dishes.
d. “Volwassen”: grown-up.
e. “Een volwassene”: a grown-up/adult.
f. “Het wassende water”: “The rising water”, a famous Dutch novel (1925)
by Herman de Man.

2. The noun “table”.

Examples:
a. “Eettafel”: dinner table.
b. “Koffietafel”: coffee table.

cucumber [noun] [de komkommer, de komkommers]

Examples:
1. “Komkommersalade” (sometimes: komkommersla): cucumber salad.

2. “Komkommerschijfjes”: slices of cucumber.

3. <For the advanced learners a joke that Dutch children like to make>:
What is the past tense of “komkommersla”?
Answer: kwamkwammersloeg.

Extra:
Read more on cucumbers: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cucumber

neighbourhood [noun] [de buurt, de buurten]

Examples:
– "In welke buurt woon jij?"
("In which neighbourhood do you live?")

– "De buurt gaat achteruit"
("The neighbourhood is deteriorating")

– "Is er een supermarkt in de buurt?"
("Is there a supermarket nearby?")

Expression: "in de buurt" (near/nearby).

Related words:
1. "Buur": neighbour.
2. "Buurman/-vrouw": (male/female) neighbour.
3. "De buren" : the neighbours.
4. <Dutch saying>: "Beter een goede buur dan een verre vriend."
("(It is) better (to have) a good neighbour than a far away friend.")

Extra:
In the Netherlands, the Czech children animation series about the
tinkering neighbours "Pat & Mat" is known as "Buurman & Buurman".
Well known phrase: "A je to buurman!" (Czech/Dutch for: that is all
neighbour!".
Check it out at: www.patmat.cz.

swim shorts [noun] [de zwembroek, de zwembroeken]

Example:
“Mannen dragen een zwembroek, maar vrouwen dragen een badpak of bikini.”
(“Men wear swim shorts, but women wear a bathing suit or bikini.”)

Instead of “badpak”, one can also say: “zwempak”.

Related words:
1. “Zwemmen”: to swim.
2. “Broek”: pair of trousers, pants.
3. “Pak”: suit.

Dutch slang: “ballenknijper”.
This word literally translates to “balls pincher” and is used to
describe the tight male swim wear that looks like underwear (“speedos”),
that middle aged Dutch men tend to wear.