Krachtpatser

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muscleman, musclehead [noun] [de krachtpatser, de krachtpatsers] Iconspeaker_3

Mac_pro_krachtpatser_2
"Krachtpatser" is an informal word. It is composed of "kracht" ("force") and "patser" ("show-off"), the latter derived from the informal verb "patsen": "to show off, to boast". Although informal, you may encounter "krachtpatser" in serious contexts. It can be used for people (mainly men), machinery and animals, but for animals it is not as common.

Examples:
– "Uitsmijters zijn meestal krachtpatsers." 
("Bouncers are usually musclemen." Note that "uitsmijter" is also a type of egg breakfast/lunch, see DWOTD Ei.)

– "De nieuwe vriend van Cathrine is een beetje een krachtpatser; dat zou niks voor mij zijn!" 
("Cathrine’s new boyfriend is a bit of a muscleman; that wouldn’t by my first choice!" Literally: "that would be nothing for me!")

– "De Toyota Prius is milieuvriendelijk, maar niet echt een krachtpatser." 
("The Toyota Prius is environmental friendly, but not much of a muscle car.")

– "Het paard Lazka van ‘de Hollandsche manege‘ in Amsterdam is geen krachtpatser, maar ze is wel heel lief." 
("The horse Lazka from the "Hollandsche manege" in Amsterdam is not a very powerful horse, but she definitely is very sweet.")

Related words:
– Krachtig: powerful, strong [adjective].
– Sterk: strong [adjective].
– Patsen: to show off, to boast [verb] [patste, gepatst].
– Patserig: "show-offish" [adverb].
– Zwaargewicht: heavyweight [noun] [het zwaargewicht, de zwaargewichten].

Smoes

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(poor) excuse, pretext, fib [noun] [de smoes,de smoezen] Iconspeaker_3

A "smoes" is an informal synonym for "excuus", which translates to "excuse". It is usually a (small) story that is used to twist or cover up the truth. Although "smoes" has a negative connotation in this sense, it is not as ‘bad’ as a straight lie (which translates to "leugen" in Dutch).

Besides "smoes" you will often see its diminutive "smoesje" which makes it even less bad than a "smoes":-)

The related verb is "smoezen", which translates to "to whisper (secretly)".

Examples:
– "Ik verzin geen smoes, dit is echt de waarheid!"  Smoes
("I’m not making up an excuse, this is really the truth!")

– "Frank is weer laat vanochtend." – "Wat is nu zijn smoes?"
("Frank is late again this morning." – "What’s his excuse now?")

– "Geen smoesjes, jongedame! Niet smoezen in de klas!" 
("No excuses, young lady! No secret whispering during class!")

Expressions:
– "Een leugentje om bestwil": a white lie.
– "(Ja ja,) smoesjes!": yeah right, that’s just making poor excuses!

Related words:
– Excuus: excuse [noun] [het excuus, de excuses].
– Uitvlucht: pretext, escape, excuse [noun] [de uitvlucht, de uitvluchten].
– Leugen: lie [noun] [de leugen, de leugens].
– Liegen: to lie [verb] [loog, gelogen].

Geschiedenis

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1. history [noun] [de geschiedenis, de geschiedenissen] Iconspeaker_3

Every Dutch newspaper will probably use this word today when referring to the Barack Obama’s presidential election victory. For more words related to elections, check DWOTD’s "verkiezing" or "peiling".

Examples:
– "Obama wordt de eerste Afro-Amerikaanse president in de geschiedenis van de Verenigde Staten." 
("Obama will become the first Afro-American president in the history of the United States." Please note that the United States of AmeOude_kaartrica ("Verenigde Staten van Amerika") are often abbreviated to "VS" in Dutch. Also the term "Afro-Amerikaans" is more commonly used than ‘Afrikaans-Amerikaans’.)

– "De geschiedenis van China begint 6.000 jaar geleden." 
("The history of China starts 6,000 years ago".)

– "Hij heeft geschiedenis gestudeerd aan de Universiteit van Amsterdam." 
("He has studies history at the University of Amsterdam".)

– "Onze vaderlandse geschiedenis leert ons over het heden en de toekomst van Nederland." 
("Our country’s history teaches us about the present and the future of the Netherlands." Please note that the literal translation for the slightly outdated "vaderland" is "fatherland".)

Expressions:
– Geschiedenis schrijven: to write history.

Example:
– "Obama schrijft geschiedenis door de eerste Afro-Amerikaanse president van de Verenigde Staten te worden." 
("Obama writes history by becoming the first Afro-American president of the United States.")

– De geschiedenis herhaalt zich: history repeates itself.

Example:
– "De geschiedenis herhaalt zich keer op keer." 
("History repeats itself again and again.")

Related words:
– Verleden: the past [noun] [het verleden, no plural].
– Heden: the present [noun] [het heden, no plural].
– Toekomst: the future [noun] [de toekomst, no plural].

2. story, tale [noun] [de geschiedenis, de geschiedenissen] Iconspeaker_3

"Geschiedenis" can also be used when referring to a story of tale. This translation is much more uncommon than the one explained above and is rather old-fashioned.

Examples:
– "Hij vertelde me dat hij wakker werd en niet meer wist hoe hij aan het geld kwam. Wat een vreemde geschiedenis."
("He told me that he woke up and he didn’t remember how he got the money. What a strange story".A more common way to say "Wat een vreemde geschiedenis" would be "Wat een raar verhaal".)

Related words:
– Verhaal: the story [noun] [het verhaal, de verhalen].

Bijwonen

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to attend, to be present at [verb] [woonde bij, bijgewoond] Iconspeaker_3

Vergaderen
"Bijwonen" is composed of "bij" and "wonen" but contrary to what you
might expect, it does not translate as "to live at".  You use the verb
"bijwonen" when you are present at some kind of meeting or event, but
do not really participate in the activity.

Examples:
– "Wilt u de opname bijwonen? Dat kan. Bel naar het volgende nummer: …" 
("Would you like to attend the recording? That is possible. Call the following number: …")

– "Kun jij morgen de vergadering bijwonen, of ben je verhinderd?" 
("Can you attend the meeting tomorrow, or are you unable to go?")

– "Ik heb de bespreking alleen bijgewoond, ik heb niet echt deelgenomen aan het gesprek." 
("I was only present at the meeting, I did not really participate in the conversation.")

Related words:
– Toehoren: to listen to (other people in a meeting, etc.) [verb] [hoorde toe, toegehoord].
– Deelnemen: to participate [verb] [nam deel, deelgenomen].

Example:
– "Heb jij wel eens deelgenomen aan de marathon van Rotterdam?"
("Have you ever participated in the Rotterdam marathon?")

– Publiek: audience [noun] [het publiek, no plural].
– Wonen: to live, to inhabit [verb] [woonde, gewoond].

Dat doet de deur dicht

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that does it, that’s it, that is the last straw [Dutch phrase of the week] Iconspeaker_3

Literally, "dat doet de deur dicht" translates to "that closes the door". This expression is used when something unpleasant happens which makes you feel that you’ve had it with it. The tone at which this expression is used is often indignant.Door_2

Examples:
– "Mijn auto is nu voor de derde keer bekrast…dat doet de deur dicht!" 
("My car has been scratched for the third time now…that does it!")

– "Frank heeft zich deze week al twee keer verslapen."  – "Dat doet de deur dicht!"
("Frank has overslept twice already this week." – "That is the last straw!")

– "Dit is het derde jaar zonder loonsverhoging. Dat doet de deur dicht, ik neem ontslag!" 
("This is the third year without a raise. That’s it, I quit!")

Expressions:
– "Dat is de druppel die de emmer doet overlopen!": that is the last straw! Lit.: "That is the drop that makes the bucket flow over".
– "Dat is de druppel!": Short version of "dat is de druppel die de emmer doet overlopen": that is the last straw!

Example:
– "Dit weekend alweer een slachtoffer van zinloos geweld. Dat is de druppel!"
("Again a victim of pointless violence this weekend. That is the last straw!")

– "Dat is het toppunt!": that’s the limit!
– "Er genoeg van hebben": to have enough of it.

Related words:
– Deur: door [noun] [de deur, de deuren].
– Dicht: closed [adjective].
– Dichtdoen: to close [verb] [deed dicht, dichtgedaan]. Lit.: to do/make (something) closed.
– Sluiten: to close [verb] [sloot, gesloten].
– Verontwaardigd: indignant [adjective].