misunderstanding, misapprehension, misconception [noun] [het misverstand, de misverstanden] [‘mis-vur-stant’]

"Misverstand" is composed of "mis" and "verstand", which – in this context – respectively translate to "wrong" and "understanding". "Verstand" can also translate to "intellect" or "knowledge", also see the Related words.

Examples:
– "Het spijt me, dit moet een misverstand zijn."
("I’m sorry, this must be a misunderstanding.")

– "Ach, ik zou boeken vol kunnen schrijven over het eeuwige misverstand tussen mannen en vrouwen."
("Ah well, I could write entire books about the everlasting misunderstanding between men and women." Lit. : "I could write books full…")

– "Om een misverstand te voorkomen: is vanavond het kledingvoorschrift smoking of rokkostuum?"
("To prevent a misunderstanding: tonight’s dresscode, is it black tie or white tie?")

– "Er is hier sprake van een misverstand meneer de agent: het stoplicht was nog oranje. – Nou, nou, meneer, dat was dan wel heel donker oranje, maar ik zal het voor deze keer door de vingers zien."
("This is a (case of) misconception officer: the light was still yellow. – Well, well, sir, that was really dark yellow then, but I will turn my blind eye on you for this time." Lit.: "There is talk here of a misconception…" and "…I’ll see it through the fingers this time.")

Note that a yellow light is an orange light in Dutch 🙂

Related words:
– "Verstand": reason, intellect.
– "Verstaan": to be able to hear, to understand.
– "Begrijpen": to understand, to comprehend.
– "Onbegrip": incomprehension, ignorance.
– "Verwarring": confusion.

dinner jacket, tuxedo, black tie [noun] [de smoking, de smokings] [‘smoo-king’]

“Smoking” is one of those rare Dutch words that seem to originate from the English language but don’t… 🙂 The Dutch “smoking” has nothing to do with the English verb “smoking / to smoke”, which is “roken” in Dutch.

Examples:
– “Ik heb morgen een galadiner…smoking verplicht…”
(“I’m have a state banquet tomorrow…dinner jacket required…”)

– “Frank, jij gaat toch ook naar die bruiloft? Ga jij in smoking?”
(“Frank, you’re going to that wedding too, right? Will you wear a tuxedo?” Lit.: “…Are you going in (a) smoking?”)

– “Het kledingadvies voor de heren op het feest van vanavond is smoking of rokkostuum.”
(“The clothing advice for the gentlemen at tonight’s party is black tie or white tie.”)

Related words:
– “Strikje”: bow tie. Lit.: “little bow”.
– “Pak”: suit.
– “Rokkostuum”: white tie. Lit. “skirt costume”.
– “Jacquet”: morning coat, tails.

splendid, outstanding [adjective] [‘pie-koo-bel-loo’]

And who said the Dutch language doesn’t have frivolities? Even Italian frivolities… 😉

"Pico bello" is used to express some state of excellence. It’s very positive and its use is mostly in speech. Sometimes you may also see "picobello."

Examples:
– "Antoinette ziet er iedere dag picobello uit, vind je ook niet?"
("Antoinette looks sharp every day, don’t you think (too)?" Note that "ziet er…uit" comes from "eruit zien", a typical Dutch construction using (the infamous) "er" in combination with the preposition "uit" and the verb "zien".)

– "Hoe zie ik eruit? – Pico bello, schat."
("How do I look? – Very sharp, dear.")

– "De catering op het feestje gisteren was pico bello verzorgd."
("The catering at yesterday’s party was outstanding." Lit.: "…outstandingly taken care off.")

– "Jouw presentatie voor de raad van bestuur was pico bello, niemand had vragen na afloop."
("Your presentation for the board of directors was splendid, nobody had questions afterwards.")