Category Archives: Vocabulary Basic

Groetjes

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regards [noun, plural diminutive]

frog-306795_640It is very common in Dutch to use a diminutive for informal use. “Groetjes” is derived from “groeten” (plural of the noun “groet”), which translates to “greetings”. So “groetjes” are “little greetings” 🙂

The word “groetjes” is often used when saying goodbye or as a closing for informal written communication. In general, when you are unsure whether or not the informal “groetjes” would be acceptable when saying goodbye, you can use “tot ziens” (literally: till seeing). See below for formal alternatives in written communications, and see the Extra for a list with alternative ways to say goodbye.

Examples:
– “Tot de volgende keer! Groetjes!!”
(<informal:> “Until the next time! Bye bye!!”)

– “Doe de groetjes aan Iris!”
(<while leaving:> Say hi to Iris!”. Literally: “Do the little greetings to Iris!”)

– “Doe de groeten aan je ouders!”
(<while leaving:> “Give my regards to your parents!” The use of “groeten” here is appropriate if your intentions are more formal.)

– “Groetjes, “
(<to end a letter or e-mail informally:> “Regards, “)

– “Met vriendelijke groeten, “
(<to end a letter or e-mail more formally:> “With kind regards, “. Literally this translates to: “with friendly greetings”. Quite often the word “met” (with) is omitted.)

Related words:
1. “Groet”: greeting.
2. “Groeten” <verb>: to greet.
3. “De groeten doen aan”: give regards to, say hi to.
4. “Hoogachtend, “: formal way to end letter or e-mail. Something like: “Sincerely yours, “. Literally: “Highly esteeming, “.

Extra:
There are numerous ways to say goodbye in an informal manner. Here’s a selection:
– “tot ziens!” (till seeing — not too informal, not too formal)
– “doei!” (bye!) See also DWOTD Doei.
– “doeg!” (bye!)
– “houdoe!” (bye! — Used in the province of Brabant)
– “hoihe!” (bye! — Used in the province of Limburg)
– “toedels!” (bye! — A bit nerdy)
– “toedeledoki!” (bye! — A bit nerdy)
– “dag!” (Goodbye! — A bit formal)
– “doedoei!” (byebye!)
– “mazzel!” (bye! — From the hebrew “mazzeltov”: good luck)
– “later!” (later!)
– “laters!” (later!)
– “tot later(s)!” (till later)

Lachen

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to laugh
[verb]
[lachen, lachte, gelachen]

Examples:
1. "Lachen is gezond!"
("Laughter is the best medicine!" Literally: "It’s healthy to laugh!")

2. "Ik had tranen in mijn ogen van het lachen."
("I had tears in my eyes from laughing.")

3. "Heb je de film ‘Borat’ gezien? Lachen man!"
("Have you seen the movie ‘Borat’? Really funny!" Literally: "to laugh, man!")

4. "Laat me niet lachen!"
(<sarcastically:>"Don’t make me laugh!" or "who are you kidding!")

Expressions:
1. "Wie het laatst lacht, lacht het best."
("He laughs best who laughs last.")

2. "Lachen als een boer met kiespijn."
("To laugh sourly", literally: "to laugh like a farmer with a toothache")

Related words:
1. "Uitlachen": to laugh at someone.
2. "Glimlachen": to smile.
3. "Lach": laugh.
4. "Gelach": laughter.
5. "Lachwekkend": laughable, ridiculous.

Example:
– "Hoe was de voorstelling?" – "Het was een lachwekkende vertoning!"
("How was the show?" – "It was a ridiculous display!")

6. "Huilen": to cry.

Slapen

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Grammar: <slapen> [verb] [sliep, h. geslapen].

Translates to: to sleep.

Examples:
1. "Frankt kon vannacht niet slapen door twee vechtende katers."
("Frank couldn’t sleep last night because of two fighting tomcats." See also "DWOTD 84. Kater".)

2. "Als gevolg zat Frank te slapen tijdens een belangrijke vergadering."
("As a consequence, Frank was sleeping during an important meeting.")

3. "Als je een appartement koopt, moet je goed opletten of de ‘Vereniging van Eigenaren’ slapend of actief is."
("When buying an apartment, one needs to check carefully whether the ‘Cooperation of Owners/Residence Association’ is dormant or active.")

4. "Slaap lekker!"
("Sleep well!")

5. "Ik wil alleen maar slapen!"
("I only/just want to sleep". The construction "Ik wil alleen maar …" is also often used to say more explicitly that "The only thing I want is…")

6. "Hoe laat ga jij meestal slapen?" – "Om half elf."
("At what time do you usually go to bed?" – "At half past ten.")

Expression:
"Je moet geen slapende honden wakker maken.": (one has to) let sleeping dogs lie. Literally: "one must not wake up sleeping dogs".

Related words:
1. "Verslapen": to oversleep.
2. "Uitslapen": to sleep late.
3. "Gapen": to yawn.
4. "Slaperig": sleepy.
5. "Slaapkop": sleepy head.
6. "Dromen": to dream.
7. "Kussen": pillow.
8. "Bed": bed.
9. "Winterslaap": hibernation (of animals).

Saai

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boring, dull [adjective]

Examples:
1. "Veel mensen vinden politiek erg saai."
("Many people find politics very boring.")

2. "Wat een saaie doos is zij, zeg!"
("Man, she’s really boring." Literally: "Say, she’s a real boring box!" The use of the word
‘doos’ for a woman is derogatory. See DWOTD 1. Doos.)

3. "Frank vindt zijn werk vaak erg saai."
("Often, Frank finds his work very boring.")

4. "Hoe was de voorstelling?" – "Erg saai."
("How was the show?" – "Very boring.")

5. "Dit is best een saaie DWOTD!"
("This is quite a boring DWOTD!)

Related words:
1. "Suf": dull. The common translation for "suf" would be: drowsy, slow(-witted).
2. "Monotoon": monotone.
3. "Eentonig": monotone. Literally: "of one tone".

Uitslag

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outcome/result, rash
[noun]
[de uit-slag, de uit-sla-gen]

Examples:
– "De uitslagen van de verkiezingen veroorzaakten veel commotie." 
("The
results of the elections caused a lot of commotion.")

– "De leider van de Socialistische Partij was erg tevreden met de
uitslag." 
("The leader of the Socialist Party was very content with
the outcome.")

– "Frank kreeg spontaan uitslag toen hij de verkiezingsuitslagen
vernam." 
("When Frank learnt the results of the elections, he got a
spontaneous rash." Although this does not make any sense, the figurative expression
"uitslag krijgen" is quite common in Dutch to describe an unpleasant
emotional response.)

– "Elke maandag staan de voetbaluitslagen in de krant." 
("Every
Monday the football/soccer results are in the newspaper.")

– "De uitslag van het examen is nog niet bekend." 
("The result(s)
of the exam is not yet known.")

– "Frank had uitslag van het scheren." 
("Frank had a rash from
shaving.")

Related words:
1. "Resultaat": result.
2. "Zetel": seat (in parliament).
3.
"Jeuk": itch(ing).