1. self-defence / self-defense [noun] [de noodweer, <no plural>] [‘nood-weer’]

"Noodweer" is composed of "nood" and "weer". "Nood" translates to "distress", and – in this context – "weer" comes from the verb "weren": "to keep off/away, to fight back", hence the overall translation: "self-defence".

Mind that "noodweer" is a bit of a legal term. The common word for self-defence would be "zelfverdediging".

Example:
– "De rechter heeft bepaald dat de winkelier uit noodweer handelde, toen hij de overvaller met een knuppel neersloeg."
("The judge has determined that the shopkeeper acted in self-defence, when he struck the robber down with a club/stick.")

Related word:
"Zelfverdediging": self-defence.

2. heavy weather, storm [noun] [het noodweer, <no plural>] [‘nood-weer’]

Note that the article changes: here one says "het noodweer" as opposed to "de noodweer" in the first translation. The translation of nood in this context stays the same: "distress". "Weer" though translates to "weather" in this case.

Example:
– "Het noodweer van vannacht heeft veel schade veroorzaakt."
("The heavy weather from last night has caused a lot of damage.")

vague, unclear, indefinite [adjective/adverb] [‘vaag‘]

The use of "vaag" is similar to the English "vague". In informal speech, however, you might hear "vaag" being used when the Dutch express they find something, well, vague, strange or unclear! See the Examples.

Examples:
– "Heb je gehoord dat Frank zomaar ontslagen is?" – "Echt? Vaag!!"
("Did you hear about Frank being fired just like that?" – "Really? Weird/bizar!!")

– "Hoe is nu de situatie met je ex?" – "Nou, nog steeds een beetje vaag…"
("So how is the current situation with your ex?" – "Well, still a bit indefinite…")

– "Ik kan me vaag herinneren dat we vandaag een afspraak hadden, maar ik weet het dus niet zeker!"
("I can vaguely remember that we have an appointment today, but I’m clearly not sure!" Be sure not to use "afspraakje" when you mean an "afspraak"!)

– "Hoe was je examen?" – "Nou, ik vond de vragen nogal vaag!"
("How did your exam go?" – "Well, I thought the questions were rather vague.")

Expressions:
– "Een vaag vermoeden hebben dat…": To have a sneaking suspicion that…
– "In een vaag verleden…": A long time ago… So long ago that you only vaguely remember… Literally: "in a vague past…"

Example:
– "In een vaag verleden heb ik wel eens gesquasht…"
("A long time ago I used to play squash now and then…")

Related words:
– "Duidelijk": clear.
– "Wazig": vague, blurry.

1. fake, false, fraudulent, off key [adjective/adverb] [‘vals‘]

The Dutch "vals" is different from the English "false", although part of its meaning coincides.

In case "false" is meant as the opposite of "true", the Dutch will say "onwaar", or "niet waar", as opposed to "waar" ("true"). Alternatively we say "goed/juist" ("correct") or "fout/onjuist" ("incorrect").

Examples:
– "Rustig maar mensen, het was vals alarm!"
("Quiet now / take it easy people, it was false alarm!")

– "U krijgt van mij een boete voor het opgeven van een valse naam!"
("I’m giving you a ticket for stating a false name!" Lit. "You are given a ticket by me…")

– "De hardloper werd gediskwalificeerd na de tweede valse start."
("The runner was disqualified after the second false start.")

– "Direct vanaf de introductie werden er valse Eurobiljetten gesignaleerd."
("Straight after the introduction, counterfeit Euro bills were spotted.")

– "Jeetje zeg, wat zingt zij vals!"
("Oh my, how she sings off key / out of tune!" The word "jeetje" is derived from the name "Jezus" and was introduced as an "acceptable" alternative. You will also encounter "jee" or "jeeminee".)

Related words:
– "Valsspelen": to cheat (in a game).

Example:
– "Zeker, ik wil graag winnen, maar valsspelen, dat doe ik niet!"
("Sure, I’m eager to win, but cheating, that I won’t do!")

– "Fout": wrong, incorrect.
– "Onjuist": incorrect.
– "Kopie": copy [noun].

2. vicious, mean, nasty [adjective/adverb] [‘vals‘]

This translation is commonly used for animals, but can also be used for humans.

Example:
– "Je moet de kat van de buren niet proberen te aaien, het is echt een vals beest."
("You must not try to pet the neighbour’s cat, it is really a vicious animal.")

chock-full, cram-full, packed, stuffed [adjective] [‘bom-vol’]

"Bomvol" is composed of "bom" and "vol", which translate to "bomb" and "full" respectively. It may be quite obvious that "bomvol" is used to indicate that something is very crowded, packed or filled.

Examples:
– "Tijdens de Drie Dwaze Dagen is de Bijenkorf van ‘s ochtends vroeg tot ‘s avonds laat bomvol."
("During the "Drie Dwaze Dagen", the Bijenkorf is packed from early morning to late in the evening.")

– "U2 heeft gisteravond opgetreden in een bomvolle Amsterdam Arena."
("Yesterday night, U2 played in a chock-full Amsterdam Arena.")

– "Ik hou helemaal niet van bomvolle kroegen, waar je helemaal niet kunt bewegen."
("I really don’t like packed bars, where you cannot move at all.")

Related words:
– "Bommetjevol": a variation on "bomvol" by using the diminutive of "bom": "bommetje". Translation is the same though: chock-full.
– "Vol": full.
– "Bom": bomb.
– "Druk": busy, crowded.

apparently, evidently [adverb] [‘blijk-baar’]

Examples:
– "Het is een chaos op het kruispunt, blijkbaar doen de verkeerslichten het niet."
("It’s a chaos at the intersection, apparently the traffic lights are out of order." Many Dutch people will also say "stoplichten", but "verkeerslichten" is the official name for traffic lights.)

– "Meestal schrijven Marc en Sander langere DWOTD’s, blijkbaar hebben ze weinig tijd vandaag."
("Usually Marc and Sander write longer DWOTDs, apparently they don’t have much time today." Lit. "… they have little time today.")

Related word:
– "Klaarblijkelijk": a synonym for "blijkbaar".