1. scum [noun] [het tuig, no plural]

"Tuig" has several meanings. It is most commonly used to describe a group of scumbags. It can also be used as an adjective (see Examples). In the seventies, the expression "langharig werkschuw tuig" ("long-haired workshy riff-raff") was used frequently to describe everyone who wasn't willing to work or had a different interpretation of working (musicians, etc.). Nowadays, every Dutch person will still understand what you mean.

Examples:
-" Mijn buurvrouw hoopt dat het kraakverbod wordt aangenomen. Ze vindt alle krakers werkschuw tuig." 
(" My neighbour hopes that the law prohibiting squatting will pass. She thinks all squatters are workshy scum.")

-"Dat tuig heeft in alle auto's in mijn straat ingebroken." 
("Those scumbags broke in in all cars in my street.")

– "Hij heeft dat arme omaatje zomaar in haar gezicht geslagen. Hij is tuig." 
("He beat that poor little grandma in her face just like that. He is scum." Please note that "omaatje" is the dimunitive of "oma".)

Expressions:
– "Tuig van de richel": scum of the earth. Lit.: scum of the (l)edge.

Example: 
– "Hooligans zijn echt tuig van de richel".
("Hooligans are really the scum of the earth".)

The picture belongs to a Hyves-group with the name "Tuig van de richel".

Extra:
Related verbs are "optuigen" and "aftuigen". Both verbs were originally (and still are) used in the sense of "to harness" and "to unharness" a horse. Although the verb "aftuigen" is still used in this sense, nowadays, its most common use is "to beat up someone". "Optuigen" can also be used in the meaning "to decorate".

Examples:
– "Ik ga de kerstboom optuigen, haal jij de ballen?"
("I am going to decorate the Christmas tree, will you fetch the baubles?")
– "Dat tuig heeft gisteren mijn buurman afgetuigd."
("That scum beat up my neighbour yesterday.")

2. harness, gear [noun] [het tuig, no plural]

The second meaning of "tuig" is "harness" that you put on your horse (see picture).

Examples:
-" Ik heb een nieuw tuig voor mijn paard gekocht."
("I bought a new harness for my horse.")

-" Een blindengeleidehonde heeft vaak ook een tuigje om zodat zijn baas zijn bewegingen kan volgen."
("A guide dog (for the blind) also often has a harness so that his boss can follow his movements." Please note that "blindengeleidehond" literally means "blind-guidance-dog".)

Related words:
– Optuigen: to harness, to decorate [verb] [tuigde op, opgetuigd].
– Aftuigen: to unharness, to beat up [verb] [tuigde af, afgetuigd].
– Werktuig: equipment [noun] [het werktuig, de werktuigen].

to give someone a break, to do someone a favour [verb] [matste, gematst]

“Matsen” is Bargoens, the former Dutch thieves’ cant. Whether “matsen” is also from Yiddish origin – like “gozer” – was unknown at the time of publication of this DWOTD…readers are kindly requested to post ethymological information 🙂

“Matsen” is used informally, and originally meant to cheat or to mess with. It is now used in a more positive sense: to settle/arrange something for someone outside the ‘normal’ path via which things should be arranged, see the Examples.

Examples:
– “Gozer, ik krijg nog 57 euro van je, maar ik zal je matsen: 50 is prima.”
(“Dude, you still owe me 57 euros, but I’ll give you a break: 50 is fine.”)

– “Hoe kan die loser de finale van Dancing With The Stars bereikt hebben?? De jury heeft hem ongelofelijk gematst!”
(“How could this loser reach the final of Dancing With The Stars?? The jury has given him a huge break!”)

– “<agent:> Ik moet u helaas een bekeuring geven. U reed te hard.” – “<overtreder:> Ach, kunt u me niet voor één keer matsen?”
(“<officer:> I’m afraid I’m gonna have to give you a ticket. You were speeding.” – “<perpetrator:> Ah, can’t you just give me a break just once?”)

Expressions:
– “Door de vingers zien.” See also Extra.
(“To give someone a break”.)

– “Een oogje dichtknijpen.”
(“To turn a blind eye to someone/something”.)

Related words:
– “Geluk”: luck.
– “Mazzel”: luck.
– “Voortrekken”: to favour.

carless [adjective]

"Autovrij" is composed of "auto" and "vrij", the latter translates as "free". A more literal translation of "carless" exists in Dutch, that is "autoloos". A subtle distinction might exist in that the ending "vrij" can indicate a temporary state, whereas "loos" in general means "without".

You will typically encounter "autovrij" in the combination "autovrije zondag" ("carless Sunday"). Read more about it in the Extra.

Examples:
– "Autovrije zondag? Man, dat is toch te bezopen voor woorden!"
("Carless Sunday? Man, surely that is insane!" Literally: "Man, that is too pissed/sloshed for words!" Here the drunk state of "bezopen" (from the verb "zuipen") is used in the translation of daft/crazy/ridiculous. This expression was actually used by a driver who wasn’t allowed to enter Amsterdam last Sunday: she says it twice, at the beginning of the following videofragment and at the end of the news item (wait for the commercial to finish).)

– "Ik vind de autovrije zondag een goed initiatief, maar ja, ik heb toch geen auto dus…"
("I think the "autovrije zondag" is a good initiative, but then again, I don’t own a car anyway so…")

– "Ook op een autovrije zondag blijft het link om door Amsterdam te fietsen met al die toeristen die zomaar oversteken!"
("Even on a "autovrije zondag" it remains risky to cycle through Amsterdam with all those tourists who cross the road just like that!" Note the verb "oversteken": whatever your cross is already implied.)

Related words:
– Autoluw: low-traffic, restricted traffic [adjective].
– Binnenstad: city centre [noun] [de stad, de steden]. Literally: "inner-town/city".
– Voetganger: pedestrian [noun] [de voetganger, de voetgangers]. Literally: "foot goer".
– Milieu: environment [noun] [het milieu, no plural]. There is a plural in the translation of "social environment": de milieus.

Extra:
Last Sunday it was "autovrije zondag" in a number of cities and
towns in the Netherlands, including Amsterdam. Cars were allowed to
leave town, but couldn’t enter between 9 AM and 5 PM. Of course this
led to problems when people wanted to return to their homes. However,
contrary to last year, it didn’t lead to drivers assaulting traffic
wardens.
The other usage of "autovrij" is when speaking of a pedestrian zone; here
you will hear "autovrije binnenstad" (carless city centre) and you can
use "autovrije zone", but in case of the latter it is more common to
say "voetgangersgebied" ("pedestrian area"). Note that a
"voetgangersgebied" can mean that no cyclists are allowed!

The intent is to make "autovrije zondag" a tradition to be repeated
annually. Goals are to make people aware of the environment, to
stimulate people to think about alternative transport, and just to
allow people to have a good time by being able to organize events that
become possible in the absence of cars. Note that we once had a real "autoloze zondag" in the seventies during the oil crisis.