to be on fire, to burn [verb] [fikte, gefikt]

"Fikken" is the informal synonym for "branden" ("to burn") in its translation of "to be on fire". Both "brand" and "fik" mean "fire" (as in "a fire"), but again "fik" would be informal. The noun for the phenomenon "fire" is "vuur". A related verb is "affikken": to burn down/out. They say that Dutch and German are similar, but in this case it is far from true (inside joke for our German readers).

There are a few expressions with the noun "fik" and not the verb, but I have included them below anyway.

Examples:
– "Zo, dat fikt goed!" 
("My, that burns well!")

– "Marcs auto is gisteren bijna afgefikt." 
("Marc’s car almost burnt down yesterday.")

– "De ene houtsoort fikt beter dan de andere." 
("The one type of wood burns better than the other.")

Expressions:
– "De fik erin!": burn it (down)!
– "Een fikkie stoken": to start a controlled fire, to set something on fire. This is not your arsonist type of fire but usually kids setting a few things (twigs, garbage etc.) on fire.

Example:
– "Laten we een fikkie gaan stoken!" – "Nee man, dat is veel te gevaarlijk!"
("Let’s set something on fire!" – "No man, that is way too dangerous!")

– "In de fik staan": to be on fire. Usually for things, not persons. The formal alternative is "in brand staan".

Related words:
– Branden: [verb] [brandde, gebrand].
– Brand/fik: fire [noun] [de brand/fik, de branden/fikken].
– Vuur: fire [noun] [het vuur, de vuren].
– Lucifer: match [noun] [de lucifer, de lucifers]. You can also use "Lucifer" for Lucifer the devil.
– Afbranden/fikken: to burn down/out [verb] [brandde/fikte af, afgebrand/fikt].

The word "sportief" is used in three common translations. The link with the noun "sport" is obvious.

1. sporty, sports [adverb/adjective]

Here "sportief" is used to describe appearance or character.

Examples:
– "Ik heb afgelopen zaterdag een proefrit gemaakt in een Toyota Prius, maar ik denk dat ik toch voor een sportievere auto ga." 
("I test-drove the Toyota Prius last Saturday, but I think that I prefer / will go for a more sporty car.")

– "Leuk jasje heb je aan, sportief hoor!" 
("Nice jacket! Sporty/casual!")

Related word:
– Sport: sport [noun] [de sport, de sporten]. Also used in the translation of "sports" (the category).

2. sports-loving, fond of sports [adverb/adjective]

Here you can use "sportief" to say that somebody likes to sport or exercise, or that the person is in fact quite fit.

Examples:
– "Madelon gaat een paar keer per week fitnessen. Ze is best wel sportief!" 
("Madelon goes to fitness training a few times a week. She likes to exercise / she is quite fit!")

3. sportsmanlike, sporting [adverb/adjective]

The expression "sportief zijn" is commonly used in the context of
this translation. It translates as "to be a good sport (about
something)". Along the same lines you can also say "dat is (niet) sportief (van jou)" (something like "that’s (not) sportsmanlike (of you)").

Examples:
– "Marc is heel sportief, want hij geeft doorgaans direct zijn fouten toe." 
("Marc is a good sport, because he usually admits his mistakes straight away.")

– "Het gedrag van de supporters was niet bepaald sportief te noemen…" 
("The behaviour of the supporters wasn’t quite sportsmanlike…" Lit. : "… couldn’t really be called sporting".)

– "Ik zal dit keer de rekening betalen." – "Tof, dat is sportief van je." 
("I will pick up / pay the bill this time." – "Cool. You are being a good sport.")

Expression:
– "Iets sportief opvatten": to take something well/with grace.

Related word:
– Eerlijk: fair [adjective/adverb].

1. scum [noun] [het tuig, no plural]

"Tuig" has several meanings. It is most commonly used to describe a group of scumbags. It can also be used as an adjective (see Examples). In the seventies, the expression "langharig werkschuw tuig" ("long-haired workshy riff-raff") was used frequently to describe everyone who wasn't willing to work or had a different interpretation of working (musicians, etc.). Nowadays, every Dutch person will still understand what you mean.

Examples:
-" Mijn buurvrouw hoopt dat het kraakverbod wordt aangenomen. Ze vindt alle krakers werkschuw tuig." 
(" My neighbour hopes that the law prohibiting squatting will pass. She thinks all squatters are workshy scum.")

-"Dat tuig heeft in alle auto's in mijn straat ingebroken." 
("Those scumbags broke in in all cars in my street.")

– "Hij heeft dat arme omaatje zomaar in haar gezicht geslagen. Hij is tuig." 
("He beat that poor little grandma in her face just like that. He is scum." Please note that "omaatje" is the dimunitive of "oma".)

Expressions:
– "Tuig van de richel": scum of the earth. Lit.: scum of the (l)edge.

Example: 
– "Hooligans zijn echt tuig van de richel".
("Hooligans are really the scum of the earth".)

The picture belongs to a Hyves-group with the name "Tuig van de richel".

Extra:
Related verbs are "optuigen" and "aftuigen". Both verbs were originally (and still are) used in the sense of "to harness" and "to unharness" a horse. Although the verb "aftuigen" is still used in this sense, nowadays, its most common use is "to beat up someone". "Optuigen" can also be used in the meaning "to decorate".

Examples:
– "Ik ga de kerstboom optuigen, haal jij de ballen?"
("I am going to decorate the Christmas tree, will you fetch the baubles?")
– "Dat tuig heeft gisteren mijn buurman afgetuigd."
("That scum beat up my neighbour yesterday.")

2. harness, gear [noun] [het tuig, no plural]

The second meaning of "tuig" is "harness" that you put on your horse (see picture).

Examples:
-" Ik heb een nieuw tuig voor mijn paard gekocht."
("I bought a new harness for my horse.")

-" Een blindengeleidehonde heeft vaak ook een tuigje om zodat zijn baas zijn bewegingen kan volgen."
("A guide dog (for the blind) also often has a harness so that his boss can follow his movements." Please note that "blindengeleidehond" literally means "blind-guidance-dog".)

Related words:
– Optuigen: to harness, to decorate [verb] [tuigde op, opgetuigd].
– Aftuigen: to unharness, to beat up [verb] [tuigde af, afgetuigd].
– Werktuig: equipment [noun] [het werktuig, de werktuigen].