Category Archives: Vocabulary Intermediate

Razend

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furious, raging, fuming Iconspeaker_3
[adjective/adverb]
[ra-zend]

Razend "Razend" is derived from the verb "razen": to rage, thunder, storm; both used for natural phenomena and angry people :-) The other translation is "to race, hurl, rush" and "razend" takes on a different meaning, more like "very, huge" of which I also give a few common examples below.

Examples:
– "Man, ik zweer het je, ik was razend, echt waar. Het kan toch niet zo zijn dat een pinautomaat zomaar je pas inslikt?!" 
("Man, I swear, I was furious (with rage), really I was. It can't possibly be the case that a cash machine swallows your (bank) card just like that?!")

– "De vrouw was razend op haar vriend toen hij het contact verbrak." 
("The woman was furious with her boyfriend when he broke off contact.")

– "Was je vader boos toen je te laat thuis was?" – "Boos? Hij was razend!!" 
("Was your father angry when you came home too late?" – "Angry? He was fuming!!")

– "Ga je mee lunchen bij Simonis?" – "Ik ben bang van niet, ik heb het echt razend druk." 
("Are you joing us/me for lunch at Simonis?" – "I'm afraid not, I'm really incredibly busy.")

– "Het schrijven van een goede DWOTD kan razend veel tijd kosten." 
("Writing a good DWOTD can consume a huge amount of time.")

– "We hebben onze koffers in een razend tempo ingepakt en zijn direct vertrokken naar de zon!" 
("We packed our suitcases really really quickly and took off to a sunny destination immediately!" Note that unless you are an astronaut you can use the expression "vertrekken naar de zon" when leaving for a sunny destination (as opposed to the sun itself 😉 ).)

Related words:
– Razendsnel: very very fast [adverb/adjective].
– Razernij: rage, frenzy [noun] [de razernij, de razernijen].

Boarden

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to board Iconspeaker_3
[verb]
[boar-den, board-de, ge-board]

Even though we have a Dutch word for "board" in this context, i.e. "boord", the verb we use is derived from English: "boarden". We use it for the whole process of boarding, typically planes. "Going on board" is "aan boord gaan" and "to be on board" is "aan boord zijn", both also used for boats and ships.

I'm off on holiday for two weeks, so have fun with Marc, or enjoy a break (depending on Marc's mood 😉 )

Examples:
– "Sander moet over 20 minuten boarden en dus opschieten met deze DWOTD." 
("Sander has to board (the plane) in 20 minutes and hence has to hurry up with this DWOTD.")

– "Hoe laat begint het boarden?" 
("At what time does boarding start?")

– "Hoi, wat leuk dat je belt, ja, we zijn al geboard." 
("Hi, how nice of you to call, yes, we have already boarded.")

– "U moet boarden bij gate E3." 
("You will have to board at gate E3.")

Related words:
– Boord: board, when used as explained in the intro.
– Boren: to drill [verb] [boorde, geboord].
– Boord: collar of a dress shirt [noun] [het boord, de boorden]. A dress shirt has two "boorden".
– Bord: plate [noun] [het bord, de borden].

Als klap op de vuurpijl

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to crown/top/cap it all Iconspeaker_3
[Dutch phrase of the week]
[als klap op de vuur-pijl]

Vuurwerk A "vuurpijl" literally translates as "fire arrow" and is the general name for the aerial shells that the Dutch typically like to fire off on New Year's eve. The "klap" is what follows the flash; the "bang", the crowning touch. At least that is my guess, explanations differ 🙂 This phrase is typically used to close off a positive sequence of events but you can also use it when things are not going your way.

Examples:
– "Ik heb onlangs een nieuwe auto gewonnen, mag een jaar lang gratis tanken en als klap op de vuurpijl hoef ik niet eens wegenbelasting te betalen!" 
("Recently I have won a new car, I get gas/petrol for free for a year, and to top it all: I don't even have to pay road tax!" Note the verb 'tanken': to fill up, refuel.)

– "Een collegaatje van mij heeft net een promotie gekregen, met haar vriend een huis gekocht en als klap op de vuurpijl gaat ze een jaar op wereldreis!" 
("A colleague of mine just got a promotion, she has bought a house with her boyfriend and to crown it all she is going to travel the world for a year!" Lit. 'wereldreis' is a trip around the world.)

– "Vanochtend had ik een sollicitatiegesprek en ik had al slecht geslapen, en toen bleek mijn pak vies te zijn en als klap op de vuurpijl miste ik ook nog mijn trein!" 
("This morning I had a job interview and I had already slept badly, and then my suit turned out to be dirty and to top it all I also missed my train!")

Related words:
– Knallen: to bang [verb] [knalde, geknald]. Sometimes used as slang for 'to have sex'.
– Vuur: fire [noun] [het vuur, de vuren].
– Vuurwerk: fireworks [noun] [het vuurwerk, <no plural>].

Overdrijven

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1. to exaggerate, to blow up, to overdo Click to listen
Themask
[verb]
[o-ver-drij-ven, o-ver-dreef, h. o-ver-dre-ven]

Depending on where you put the emphasis,"overdrijven" may translate to 1. to exaggerate, or 2. to blow over. 

Examples:
– "Jij luistert nooit naar mij!" – "Schat, je overdrijft." 
("You never listen to me!:  – "Honey, you're exaggerating.")

– "Frank kan altijd zo vreselijk overdrijven. Hij maakt van elke mug een olifant." 
("Frank always knows how to blow things up. He makes a mountain of every molehill.")

– "Deze hele affaire is bijzonder onverkwikkelijk." – "Vindt u dat niet lichtelijk overdreven?"
("This whole affair is most unpleasant." – "Don't you think that is slightly exaggerated?")

Expressions:
– "Je kunt ook overdrijven": (lit.) you can also overdo it. Used when confronted with serious cases of exaggeration or overdoing.
– "Overdrijven is ook een vak": (lit.) Exaggeration is also a profession. Used when confronted with serious cases of exaggeration or overdoing.

Example:
– "Wat heb ik toch een vreselijk dikke kont in deze spijkerbroek…" – "Overdrijven is ook een vak…"
("I have such a terribly big butt in these jeans…" – "You know how to exaggerate…")

Related words:
– Aanstellen: 1. to appoint [verb] [aanstellen, stelde aan, h. aangesteld]. 2. to put
up a drama act, to put on an air [verb] [aanstellen, stelde aan, h.
aangesteld].

Example:
– "Stel je niet zo aan, het valt best mee."
("Don't be such a drama queen, it's no so bad.")

2. to blow over, to float by Click to listen
Ruysdael
[verb]
[o-ver-drij-ven, dreef o-ver, i. o-ver-ge-dre-ven]

If you put the emphasis on the "o", "overdrijven" translates to "to blow over"."Drijven" literally translates to "to float". "Overdrijven" can also be used fuguratuvely: not only clouds can "overdrijven" but also moods…

Instead of "overdrijven" you can also use "overwaaien" if the clouds blow over faster 🙂

Examples:
– "Ik voorspel je: dit onweer zal overdrijven." 
("I tell you: this thunderstorm will blow over." Lit.: "I predict you: …")

– "Geen paniek, Franks boosheid drijft altijd snel over." 
("Don't panic, Frank's anger always blows over fast." Lit.: "No panic…")

Related words:
– Overwaaien: to blow over [verb] [overwaaien, waaide over, i. overgewaaid].
– Waaien: to blow (by the wind) [verb] [waaien, waaide, h. gewaaid].

Example:
– "De wind heeft zo hard gewaaid dat het nu een enorme ravage is in de tuin."
("The wind has blown so hard that it's a huge mess in the garden now.")

Vertrek

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1. room, apartment, chamber Click to listen
Vertrek
[noun]
[het ver-trek. de ver-trek-ken]

A "vertrek" is a room. It's somewhat formal, used to refer to rooms or spaces in houses or buildings in general. Synonyms are "kamer" (room) and "ruimte" (space).

Examples:
– "Dit huis heeft vijf vertrekken: een woonkamer, twee slaapkamers, een keuken en een badkamer met douche en toilet." 
("This house has five rooms: a living room, two bedrooms, a kitchen and a bathroom with a shower and toilet.")

– "Het vertrek was een grote ravage, overal lag er troep op de vloer." 
("The room was one big mess, there was rubbish all over the floor.")

Related words:
– Kamer: room, chamber [noun] [de kamer, de kamers].
– Slaapkamer: bedroom [noun] [de slaapkamer, de slaapkamers].
– Woonkamer: living room [noun] [de woonkamer, de woonkamers].

2. departure, start, take off Click to listen
Spaceshuttle
[noun]
[het ver-trek, <no plural>]

"Vertrek" is also a departure. "Trek" is (probably) etymologically related to "track", so "vertrek" is something like 'the act of going on a track'….

Related verb is "vertrekken", see 3.

Examples:
– "Na de enorme flater op TV, heeft de politicus gisteren zijn vertrek bij de partij aangekondigd." 
("After the huge blunder on TV, the politician has announced his departure from the party yesterday.")

– "Dames en heren, wij zijn klaar voor vertrek. Wilt u alle elektronische apparatuur uitschakelen en opbergen?"
("Ladies and gentlemen, we are ready for departure. Would you please switch off all electronic devices and stow them?")

Related words:
– Afscheid: goodbye, farewell, parting [noun] [het afscheid, <no plural>].

Example:
– "Bij het afscheid gaf Frank zijn schoonmoeder drie zoenen op de wang."
("When he left, Frank gave his mother in law three kisses on the cheek." Lit.: "At the goodbye, …")

– Vertrekhal: departure lounge/hall [noun] [de vertrekhal, de vertrekhallen].
– Vertrektijd: departure time [noun] [de vertrektijd, de vertrektijden].

3. to leave Click to listen
Koffer
[verb]
[ver-trek-ken, ver-trok, i. ver-trok-ken]

"Vertrek" is also the first person singular conjugation of the verb "vertrekken": "ik vertrek" (I leave).

Examples:
– "Dat doet de deur dicht! Ik vertrek!" 
("That does it! I am leaving!")

– "Vertrekken is een beetje sterven…" 
("Partir, c'est mourir un peu… / To part is to die a little…")

– "Ik heb vandaag mijn baan opgezegd, morgen vertrek ik naar Parijs." 
("I've quit my job today, tomorrow I will leave for Paris.")

Expressions:
– "Met opgeheven hoofd vertrekken": to leave with one's head held high.
– "Met de noorderzon vertrekken": to do a moonlight flit, to leave without notice to an unknown destination.

Example:
– "De toekomst van hun relatie is onzeker nu Frank met de noorderzon vertrokken is." 
("The future of their relationship is uncertain now Frank has done a moonlight flit.")

– "Met stille trom vertrekken": to leave quietly, unnoticed. (Lit.: to leave with quiet drum).

Related words:
– Groetjes:  regards [noun] [het groetje, de groetjes].
– Toedeledoki: toodle-oo, bye(-bye), cheers, cheerio [interjection].

Example:
– "Ik vertrek, toedeledoki!"
("I am leaving, toodle-oo!")

– Verlaten: to leave, to abandon [verb] [verlaten, verliet, h. verlaten].