to whisper [verb] [fluisterde, gefluisterd] [‘fluis-tu-run’]

Often one can create a noun from the verb by replacing the ending ‘-en’ with ‘-er’, however in this case it doesn’t work 🙂 A “whisperer” is a “fluisteraar”. (Not that you will often use this word…)

Examples:
– “Het is niet netjes om in gezelschap te fluisteren.”
(“It is not appropriate to whisper while company is present.”)

– “Is fluisteren slecht voor je stembanden?”
(“Is whispering bad for your vocal cords?”)

– “Waarom fluister ik jouw naam nog? … Hoor ik steeds je stem…”
(“Why do I keep whispering your name? … Do I constantly hear your voice…” This is a line taken from the song “Waarom fluister ik je naam nog” by the Dutch singer Benny Neyman. The song was very popular during the 80s.)

Related words:
– “Fluisteraar”: whisperer.

Example:
– “Het wordt tijd dat we een paardenfluisteraar inschakelen!”
(“It’s time to bring in a horse whisperer!”)

– “Zacht praten”: to speak quietly / in an undertone.
– “Stilte”: quietness.
– “Stilte!”: quiet!

1. busy, crowded [adjective/adverb] [‘druk‘]

This is a popular word, and you will often hear it when people discuss work or their lives in general:

"Hoe gaat het met je?" – "Nou, druk druk druk!" 🙂

In addition to the adjective or adverb ‘druk’, there are two common applications of the noun ‘druk’, see 2 and 3 below.

Examples:
– "Hij heeft een heel drukke baan; hij werkt dag en nacht."
("He has a very busy/demanding job, he works day and night.")

– "De vakantiebeurs was erg druk, met het hoogste aantal bezoekers ooit."
("The holiday fair was very busy/crowded, with the highest number of visitors ever".)

– "Je kunt haar beter niet storen, ze is druk aan het werk."
("You’d better not disturb her, she is busy working").

– "Ga je de deadline halen?" – "Ik hoop het, ik ben druk aan het schrijven!"
("Are you going to meet the deadline? – "I hope so, I’m busily writing / focussed at writing!")

Expressions:
– "Het druk hebben": to be busy.
– "Druk zijn met": to be busy with.
– "Druk zijn": to be busy. But: this is incorrect Dutch as "druk zijn" actually has the meaning of being boisterous, lively or even hyperactive (in an annoying way).

Example:
– "Heb je het buurjongetje al ontmoet? Wat een druk kind!"
("Have you met the boy next door? What a boisterous child!")

– "Een druk leven hebben": to lead a busy life.

– "Zich niet druk maken": to not be worried, upset or get excited.

Example:
– "Maak je niet druk, je krijgt nog wel een kans!"
("Don’t worry, you’ll get another chance!")

– "Druk druk druk!": an expression often heard when people are in general busy in their lives.

Related words:
– "Bezig zijn": to be (currently) busy with.
– "Sorry! Geen tijd!": I’m sorry, no time!
– "Afgeladen vol": completely full/packed. Used for bars or any other place where people gather.

2. pressure [noun] [de druk] [‘druk‘]

This can be literal or figurative pressure. The expression "iemand onder druk zetten" is quite common: to put someone under pressure.

Examples:
– "De lerares zette haar leerling onder druk te liegen over hun relatie".
("The teacher put pressure on her pupil to lie about their relationship.")

– "Als de druk op het wegdek te groot wordt, zal de brug instorten."
("If the pressure on the road surface becomes too high, the bridge will collapse.")

– "Lucht beweegt van hogedrukgebieden naar lagedrukgebieden."
("Air moves from areas of high pressure towards areas of low
pressure.")

– "De belastingdruk in Zweden is hoog".
("The tax burden in Sweden is high".)

Related word:
– "Drukken": to put pressure on. This verb is also used in child language to say well, "do number two", or something 🙂

3. print, edition [noun] [de druk] [‘druk‘]

In this context the verb "drukken" translates to "to print".

Example:
– "Khalid Hosseini‘s eerste boek ‘De vliegeraar’ is al aan de
tweede druk toe."
("Khalid Hosseini’s first novel ‘The kite runner’ is already in its second print".)

clothes [noun] [de kleren] [‘klee-run’]

There is actually a singular form of "kleren", that is "kleer", but you will only see it in compounds (see Related words). In such compounds, "kleer" can also be replaced by "kleren".

The closely related word "kleding" translates to "clothing" and it’s application is similar to that of "clothing".

Examples:
– "De nieuwe kleren van de keizer."
("The emperor’s new clothes.")

– "Ik ga dit weekend nieuwe kleren kopen, het is uitverkoop!"
("I’m going to buy new clothes this weekend, it’s sale!")

– "Ik ga de was doen. Heb jij nog kleren die gewassen moeten worden?"
("I’m going to do the laundry. Do you have any clothes that need to be washed?")

– "Het is niet verplicht om nette kleren te dragen."
("It is not mandatory to wear smart clothes.")

– "Mijn klerenkast puilt uit met kleren!"
("My wardrobe is bulging with clothes!")

Expressions:
– "Dat gaat je niet in je koude kleren zitten": a thing like that gets to you / will leave a mark on you. Do the literal translation yourself 🙂
– "Kleren maken de man": the tailor makes the man.
– "Iemand de kleren van het lijf vragen": literally "ask somebody the clothes of his/her body", used for excessive/nosy questioning by somebody but not necessarily negative.
– "Makkelijk uit de kleren gaan": to be easy (sexually), literally "to go out the clothes easily".

Related words:
– "Klerenkast": wardrobe, closet. Lit.: "clothes closet". Note that this word is also informally used for over-muscular men, typically bouncers or male gym/fitness fanatics.
– "Kleerkast": see "klerenkast".
– "Garderobekast": fancier word for "klerenkast" ("garderobe" translates to "wardrobe").
– "Kleertjes": plural diminutive of "kleer" used for baby/toddler clothes.
– "Kleding": clothing.
– "Kleermaker": tailor.
– "Kleer/klerenhanger": coat/clothes hanger.

Extra:
You might hear Dutch people say "klere" as an adjective. This has nothing to do with clothes and is actually a term of abuse used in compounds. It is a synonym for "kolere" or "cholera".

invitation [noun] [de uitnodiging, de uitnodigingen] [‘uit-noo-di-ging’]

During the holiday season you might have received a number of invitations, for instance for the New Year’s Day reception (“Nieuwjaarbijeenkomst“) at your company, and in December for the end-of-the-year Christmas reception (“Kerstborrel“).

“Uitnodiging” originates from the verb “uitnodigen”: to invite. It can also be used in a figurative sense, for example when your behaviour “invites” a person to respond in a certain way.

Examples:
– “Lisa geeft een feestje. Heb je ook een uitnodiging ontvangen?”
(“Lisa is throwing a party. Have you also received an invitation?” Literally: “Lisa gives a party.”)

– “Ik heb een uitnodiging gekregen voor de opening van de nieuwe tentoonstelling in de Kunsthal. Ga je mee?”
(“I have received an invitation for the opening of the new exhibition in the Kunsthal. Do you want to join me?”)

– “De uitnodiging voor de Nieuwjaarbijeenkomst ziet er erg kleurrijk uit.”
(“The invitation for the New Year’s Day reception looks very colourful.”)

– “Ik kan nooit op maandagen, dus ik heb de uitnodiging afgeslagen.”
(“I’m always otherwise engaged on Mondays, so I have rejected the invitation.” Lit.: “I can never on Mondays.”)

Related word:
– “Uitnodigend”: inviting.
– “Genodigde”: guest; “the one who was invited”.