Geweldig

great, fantastic, terrifc, tremendous [adverb/adjective] [ge-wel-dig] Iconspeaker_3

"Geweldig!" is better than good, it means "great!", "terrific!" or "fastastic". Synonyms are "fantastisch" and "super". Don’t confuse it with "geweld" which means "violence" or "force".

Examples:
– "Vond je het leuk?" – "Ja, ik heb geweldig genoten van de voorstelling!" 
("Did you enjoy it?" -"Yes, I really enjoyed the performance/I thought it was a fantastic performance.")

– "Heb je die baan gekregen die je zo graag wilde? Wat geweldig!" 
("Did you get that job that you wanted so badly? That’s fantastic!")

– "Lieverd, je bent geweldig!" 
("Honey, you’re great!")

– "Ik heb vorig jaar een fantastische rondreis gemaakt door China; het was echt een geweldige ervaring!" 
("I made a terrific journey through China last year; it really was a fantastic experience!")

– "Zijn nieuwste film is een geweldig succes!" 
("His latest film is a tremendous success!")

– "Hij heeft me geweldig geholpen met mijn verhuizing naar Amsterdam." 
("He’s been an enormous help when I moved to Amsterdam.")

Related words:
Gaaf: awesome, brilliant [adverb/adjective].
– Geweld: violence, force [noun] [het geweld, <no plural>].

Example:
– "De politie gebruikte geweld tegen de krakers."
("The police used violence against the squatters.")

– Tof: great, fabulous [adverb/adjective].
– Fantastisch: fantastic, great, terrific [adverb/adjective].
– Super: super, fantastic [adverb/adjective]. Geweldig_2

Extra:
The picture is taken from the website ikbengeweldig.nl ("I am great.nl"), a site promoting volunteering for young people. The text says: "you are great!" The site also has a test to measure how great you are 😉

Herinneren

The verb "herinneren" can be used as a transitive (1) or reflexive (2) verb.

1. to remind [verb] [her-in-ner-de, her-in-nerd] Iconspeaker_3

Here you use "herinneren" when something/body reminds you of something/body or when reminding somebody something (or something! 😉 )

Examples:
– "Zij herinnert mij aan mijn oma." 
("She reminds me of my grandmother.")

– "Herinner me eraan dat ik de deur op slot doe." 
("Remind me to lock the door.")

2. to remember, to recall [verb, reflexive] [her-in-ner-de, her-in-nerd] Iconspeaker_3

Herinneringen
Here the verb is used in the meaning of still knowing something or recalling something (as opposed to actively not forgetting something, see DWOTD Onthouden). Don’t forget to use the reflexive pronoun!

Examples:
– "Ik herinner me er niks van!" 
("I don’t remember anything (of what happened)!")

– "Als ik het me goed herinner is het hier om de hoek." 
("If I remember correctly, it’s right here around the corner.")

– "Ik herinner me opeens dat ik de deur nog op slot moet doen." 
("I suddenly remember that I still have to lock the door.")

– "Herinner je je je oma nog?" 
("Do you still remember your grandmother?" The three "je’s" are deliberate: the first is the subject, the second the reflexive pronoun, and the third the possessive pronoun.)

Related words:
– Herinnering: recollection, memory [noun] [de herinnering, de herinneringen].
– Geheugen: memory [noun] [het geheugen, <no plural>].

Klagen

to complain, to lament, to wail [verb] [klaag-de, ge-klaagd] Iconspeaker_3

The Dutch have always something to complain about: the weather, their neighbours, the government. The Dutch word for the verb "complain" is "klagen". The related noun is "klacht": "complaint". If you want to file a complaint, you say "ik wil een klacht indienen". Complain

Examples:
– "Ik klaag niet gauw." 
("I’m not one to complain." Lit.: "I don’t complain easily/quickly.")

– "Frank klaagt al jaren over zijn salaris, de zeur." 
("Frank is complaining about his salary for years, the nag.")

– "Ik mag niet klagen." 
("I musn’t complain.")

– "<dokter tegen patiënt> Kunt u mij precies vertellen wat uw klachten zijn?" 
("<doctor to patient> Can you tell me exactly what your complaints are?")

Expressions:
– "Steen en been klagen": to complain loudly/bitterly.
– "Het is god(s)geklaagd": it’s scandalous, it cries to (high) Heaven.

Example:
– "Er is nog steeds hongersnood in de wereld, het is godgeklaagd!"
("People still die of starvation in the world, it’s scandalous!")

Related words:
– Klacht: complaint [noun] [de klacht, de klachten].

Example:
– "Ik wil niet dat dit in de doofpot wordt gestopt. Ik dien een officiële klacht in!"
("I don’t want this to be covered up. I will file an official complaint!")

– Pijn: pain [noun] [de pijn, de pijnen].
– Zeuren: to whine, to nag [verb] [zeurde, gezeurd].
Zeur: nag [noun] [de zeur, de zeuren].

Doofpot

extinguisher [noun] [de doof-pot, de doof-pot-ten] Iconspeaker_3

The only place where I’ve ever spotted a "doofpot" was at my grandparents’ place. My grandfather used to put the ashes of his pipe’s tobacco in it and I remember we were warned not to put any paper in it. In its literal meaning of "extinguisher", most "doofpotten" will be found at antique stores. In its figurative sense, "doofpot" is still used very often in newspapers when describing hush-hush politics or some scandal that was covered up. Doofpot_3

The word "doof" is generally used in its translation of "deaf", however in "doofpot" it is derived from the verb "doven" which means "to extinguish". "Pot" means "jar" or "pot".

Examples:
– "Mijn grootouders hadden een koperen doofpot." 
("My grandparents had a copper extinguisher.")

Expressions:
– "Iets in de doofpot stoppen": to cover something up, to sweep something under the carpet.

Example:
– "De buitenechtelijke affaires van prins Bernard werden in de doofpot gestopt."
("The extramarital affairs of prince Bernard were covered up.")

– "De redenen voor het gedwongen aftreden van de Minister President werden in de doofpot gestopt."
("The reasons for the impeachment of the Prime Minister were hushed.")

Related words:
– Doof: deaf [adjective/adverb].
– Doven: to extinguish [verb] [doofde, gedoofd].

Example:
– "De priester doofde de kaarsen in de kerk."
("The priest put out the candles in the church.")

– Pot: jar, pot [noun] [de pot, de potten].