quickie [noun] [het vluggertje, de vluggertjes] [‘vlu-gur-tju’]

"Vluggertje" is derived from "vlug": quick, fast, rapid. "Vluggertje" is mostly used in a sexual context, but also applies to more general contexts where something is done quickly, like writing a Dutch Word Of The Day, for example… 🙂

Its use is informal, sometimes derogatory.

Examples:
– "Marc, kun jij even snel een DWOTD schrijven?" – "Nou, dat wordt dan een vluggertje."
("Marc, can you write a DWOTD just quickly?" – "Well, that’s going to be a quickie then.")

– "Zullen we nog een afzakkertje doen?" – "Een vluggertje dan."
("Shall we have one for the road?" – "A quickie then.")

– "Schat, heb je zin in een vluggertje?"
("Babe, do you fancy a quickie?")

Related words:
– "Vlug": quick, fast, rapid.
– "Snel": quick, swift, fast.
– "Nummertje": [noun] shag. Lit.: "little number".

The verb "uitschakelen" can be used in different ways.

1. to switch off [verb] [schakelde uit, uitgeschakeld] [‘uit-schaa-ku-lun’]

In this translation "uitschakelen" is most commonly used for engines, but you can use it for small devices too, such as phones. You will also hear "afzetten" and "uitdoen".

Examples:
–
"Als u lang moet wachten voor een open brug, schakel dan de motor uit."
("If you have to wait long in front of an open bridge, then turn of the engine.")

– "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?")

2. to eliminate, to rule out, to cut out, to knock out [verb] [schakelde uit, uitgeschakeld] [‘uit-schaa-ku-lun’] 

Other common verbs to use are "verslaan" ("to beat (in a game)") and "verslagen worden" ("to be beaten").

Examples:
– "Toen Napoleon ook zijn laatste vijand had uitgeschakeld, stond niets hem meer in de weg."
("When Napoleon had also eliminated his last enemy, nothing stood in his way anymore.")

– "Het Nederlands elftal is door Rusland uitgeschakeld. Jammer maar helaas!"
("The
Dutch team has been knocked out by Russia. Too bad!" Literally, "jammer maar helaas" translates to "pity but alas".) 

3. to be out of circulation  [verb] [schakelde uit, uitgeschakeld] [‘uit-schaa-ku-lun’] 

A third meaning of "uitschakelen" is only used with the past participle, in case of being out of circulation through ill health or because of injuries.

Examples: 
– "Laura is twee dagen uitgeschakeld vanwege een blindedarmontsteking, en daarom schrijft Sander vandaag de DWOTD."
("Laura is out of circulation due to appendicitis, and that’s why Sander writes the DWOTD today.")

–
"De voetballer is drie maanden uitgeschakeld vanwege een enkelblessure."
("The football player is out of circulation for three months because of an ankle injury.")

1. striker [noun] [de spits, de spitsen] [‘spits‘]

"Spits" has several meanings in Dutch. During the 2008 European Football Championship, the meaning most often heard is "striker".

Examples:
– "Bondscoach Marco van Basten heeft Ruud van Nistelrooy geselecteerd als spits."
("National coach Marco van Basten has selected Ruud van Nistelrooy as striker".)

– "Een paar maanden geleden werd de Real-spits geopereerd aan zijn enkel."
("A few months ago, the Real striker was operated on his ankle.")

– "Wie speelt er bij Nederland in de spits?"
("Who in the Dutch team plays forward?")

2. peak, peak/rush hour [noun] [de spits, de spitsen] [‘spits‘]

Another meaning of "spits" that you can hear every hour on the radio news, is "peak/rush hour". One of the free daily newspapers is also named "Spits" for this reason (see picture). Related to this meaning is the translation "peak (of a mountain or tower)".

Examples:
– <Nieuwslezer> "We hebben een drukke ochtendspits zoals gebruikelijk op maandag: 160 kilometer file."
(<Newsreader> "We have a busy morning rush hour as usual on Monday: 160 kilometres traffic jam.")

– "Er komen steeds meer gratis dagbladen zoals ‘Metro’, ‘Spits’, ‘Pers’ en ‘Dag’."
("The number of free daily newspapers such as ‘Metro’, ‘Spits’, ‘Pers’ and ‘Dag’ is growing." Note that "metro" means "metro" or "subway"; "pers" means "press" and "dag" means "day".)

– "De spits van de toren was ernstig beschadigd door de blikseminslag."
("The spire of the tower was badly damaged by the thunderbolt.")

Expressions:
– "De spits afbijten": to go first, be the first (to).

Example:
– "Joris beet de spits af met zijn presentatie over HRM."
("Joris was the first to give a presentation on HRM ".)

– "Iets op de spits drijven": make an issue of something.

Example:
– "Ze overdrijft; het was toch nergens voor nodig om het zo op de spits te drijven!"
(" She’s overexaggerating; it wasn’t necessary to make such an issue of it, was it!")

3. sharp, pointy [adjective/adverb] [‘spits‘]

A third meaning of "spits" is pointy, sharp or pointed.

Examples:
– "Zij heeft een spits gezicht met scherpe trekken."
("She has a pointed face with sharp features".)

– "De klompen hebben een spitse neus."
("The wooden shoes have a sharp point." Lit.: ".. have a sharp nose.")

– "De meeste daken lopen spits toe."
("Most roofs end in a point.")

(street) row, disorder, clash, disturbance [noun] [het opstootje, de opstootjes] [‘op-stoot-ju’]

An
"opstootje"
is a physical confrontation between people. It is not
really a big fight but more a little row or relatively short
confrontation. You might read about "opstootjes" on a Friday night, at the football pitch or during events with a lot of visitors.
And if it’s not the adrenaline during a sport event, it is most likely
the alcohol that plays an important role. But I also remember being
part of an "opstootje" in the school playground when I was young 🙂

"Opstootje" is a diminutive, but "opstoot" is never really used (other
than in boxing, where it means "uppercut"). The base verb of which it
is derived is "stoten": to bump, knock hit or punch.
                                                                                     
Examples:
–"Ondanks de feeststemming en bovenmatige alcoholconsumptie na
de overwinning op Frankrijk, waren er slechts enkele opstootjes in het
centrum van de stad."
("Despite the festive atmosphere and excessive alcohol consumption
after the victory over France, there were only a few disturbances in
the city centre.")

– "De scheidsrechter hield de kaarten op zak en was in staat om de meeste opstootjes in de kiem te smoren."
("The referee did not pull out any cards and was able to prevent most
clashes from getting out of hand." Note that "de kaarten op zak houden"
is a bit of a football/soccer expression: "keep the cards in the
pocket". Literally the second part of the sentence translates to "to
nip the disturbances in the bud".)

– "Hé moet je kijken, volgens mij gaat het daar helemaal los!" – "Nee joh, het is maar een opstootje."
("Hey look at that, I think things are completely getting out of hand
over there!" – "No no, not at all, it is just a little row." Lit. "Hey,
you must look, I think it’s going complete loose over there." The use
of "joh" is informal and it takes some practise to know when you can
use it but it basically strengthens your statement.)

Related words:
– "De vechtpartij": fight.
– "Het geweld": violence.
– "De confrontatie": confrontation.
– "De botsing": the clash, collision.

1. catcalls, hissing [noun] [het fluitconcert, de fluitconcerten] [‘fluit-kon-sert’]

"Fluitconcert" is composed of "fluit" and "concert", which translate to "whistle" and "concerto"
respectively, hence the literal "flute concerto", see 2.

However, "fluitconcert" is more known in its other context: the disapproving whistling during soccer matches, as can be heard in this video. In English "fluitconcert" would more or less translate to catcalls or hissing.

The diminutive of "fluit" is "fluitje" which was one of our early DWOTDs…check it out!

Examples:
– "Wat een verschrikkelijke wedstrijd! Logisch, al die fluitconcerten…"
("What a terrible match! Makes sense, all that disapproving whistling…")

– "Omdat de scheidsrechter steeds voor buitenspel floot, ontstond er een fluitconcert in het stadion."
("Because the referee continuously whistled for off-side, a hissing/catcalls rose in the stadium.")

– "Tijdens de volksliederen waren er diverse fluitconcerten." – "Geen respect, die supporters…"
("During the national anthems there were numerous catcalls." – "No respect, those fans…")

Related words:
– "Applaus": applause.
– "Juichen": to cheer.
– "Oerwoudgeluiden": monkey sounds (made by so-called supporters during a soccer match). Lit.: jungle sounds.

2. flute concerto [noun] [het fluitconcert, de fluitconcerten] [‘fluit-kon-sert’] 

Examples:
– "Het Rotterdams Philharmonisch Orkest speelt nu voor u het tweede fluitconcert van Mozart."
("The Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra will now play for you: Mozart’s second flute concerto.")

Related words:
– "Fluit": flute.
– "Concert": concerto.
– "Dirigent": conductor.