Gedoe

Posted on by

fuss, hassle, ado [noun] [het gedoe, <no plural>] [‘gu-doe‘]

You will also encounter the word "gedoetje" or more often "gedoetjes" (plural diminutive), which is used informally for the small fussy moments 🙂 It requires a bit of experience and exposing to the Dutch language before you know how to use it. But just so you know… 🙂

Examples:
– "Wat een gedoe."
("What a fuss.")

– "Wat een gedoe om niks!"
("What a fuss about nothing!")

– "Wat is er aan de hand?" – "Ah joh, een hoop gedoe om niks!"
("What’s going on?" – "Oh well, much ado about nothing!" The phrase "wat is er aan de hand" can’t be used to ask in general what is going on or happening, but is only used when something is wrong or out of the ordinary. An alternative translation would be "what’s the fuss?")

Related words:
– "Ophef": fuss, ado.

Mekkeren

Posted on by

to bleat (goats, sheep), to nag [verb] [mekkerde, gemekkerd] [‘me-ku-run’]

The common translation of mekkeren is "to bleat", but usually in the case of lambs or baby goats. For sheep and goats in general, one uses "blaten".

You can use the verb "mekkeren" informally for "zeuren", but usually jokingly.

Examples:
– "Het lammetje mekkerde onophoudelijk."
("The lamb bleated continuously." Literally: "… non-stoppingly.")

– "Ach wat een lief geitje! Hoor eens hoe het mekkert!"
("Ah, what a sweet little goat! Listen to it bleating!" Mind that "eens" is used here to lessen the command form a bit.)

– "Nou niet zo mekkeren, je hebt gisteren al snoep gehad!"
(<mother to child:> "Stop nagging, you alread got candy yesterday!" Literally: "Now don’t bleat like that,…")

 Related words:
– "Blaten": to bleat, to baa, or to talk nonsense.
– "Zeuren": to nag, complain, whine.
– "Zaniken": less common synonym for "zeuren".

Gezeik

Posted on by

load of crap, bull(shit), crap [noun] [het gezeik, <no plural>] [‘gu-zeik‘]

In Dutch, "gezeik" does not have the strong vulgar connotation which "load of crap" or "bullshit" have in English. It does have a derogatory meaning though, and should only be used in informal situations.

The relate verb is "zeiken", which is more or less synonymous with "zeuren", but has a stronger derogatory connotation. "Zeiken" also has a literal meaning, which is: "to piss".

Examples:
– "Wat een gezeik zeg!"
("What a load of crap!" This can sometimes also be translated with "what a fuss!")

– "Ik heb genoeg van jouw gezeik!"
("I’ve had enough of your bullshit!")

– "Ik kan dat gezeik van Frank tijdens vergaderingen niet uitstaan!"
("I cannot stand the load of crap coming from Frank during meetings!")

– "Ik moet dat gezeik niet!"
("Don’t give me that crap!" Lit.: "I must not (have) that crap!")

– "Lig toch niet zo te zeiken!"
("Stop moaning / harping on like that!" Note that "lig" is not used to indicate the activity of lying, but merely to indicate a continuing action, in this case "zeiken".)

– "Al dat bier…ik ga even zeiken…"
("All that beer…I’m going to take a piss/leak now…")

– "Ik ga even naar mijn eigen gezeik luisteren."
("I’m going to listen to my own whining/bullshit now." Lit.: "I’m going to listen to my own pissing." This is a pun that is only used by men (we think). For example, you can say it when you are in a discussion and you have to go to the toilet/bathroom. It is of course very informal!)

Expression:
– "Geen gezeik, iedereen rijk!": "No bullshit, everybody rich!" This is a slogan that was part of the campaign for the fictitious political party "De Tegenpartij" ("The Contra Party"), founded in 1980 by the two characters "Jacobse & Van Es", played by the famous Dutch comedians/writers Kees van Kooten and Wim de Bie, who formed the duo "Van Kooten & De Bie". The peak of their careers is now over, but they are still active and very well known for their work from the 70s and 80s.

Related words:
– "Zeikerd": bugger, bore [noun].
– "Zeuren": to nag. to whine.
– "Klagen": to complain.
– "Mopperen": to grumble.

Mopperen

Posted on by

to grumble, to grouse, to complain [verb] [mopperde, gemopperd] [‘mo-pu-run’]

This verb has nothing to do with DWOTD
219. Mop, but is inspired by yesterday’s "
zeur".
Somebody who "moppers" is called a "mopperaar", but mostly you will
hear "mopperkont", which translates to something like "grumble butt" 🙂

Examples:
– "Ik word niet goed van opa! De hele dag door niets anders dan mopperen!"
("Grandpa
is driving me crazy! All day long nothing but grumbling!" Literally: "I
am becoming not well because of grandpa." The expression "niet goed
worden van" is very common. Without a subject it needs the ever tricky
"er": "Ik word er niet goed van": "It is driving me crazy" or "I have
had it (with it)".)

– "Wat zit je te mopperen? Is het weer niet goed?"
("What are you grumbling about? Is it once again not to your liking?")

– "De chef moppert de hele dag op zijn personeel."
("The manager
grumbles at his personnel all day." The word "chef" is used for
managers in production environments, including supermarkets and such.)

Related words:
– "Mopperkont": grumbler/grouch, somebody who complains a lot.
– "Mopperpot": like "mopperkont" but less common.

Zeur

Posted on by

bore, sorehead, nag [noun] [de zeur, de zeuren] [‘zeur‘]

Of course, there’s also a verb derived from "zeur", which is "zeuren": to nag, to whine, see the examples.

Examples:
– "Frank kan soms zo’n zeur zijn tijdens vergaderingen."
("During meetings, Frank can be such a nag." Note that "zo’n" is short for "zo een": ‘such a".)

– "Mannen gebruiken vaak het cliché dat vrouwen veel zeuren."
("Men often use the cliché that women whine a lot.")

– "<Moeder tegen haar kind:> Nu ophouden met zeuren!"
("<Mother to her child:> "Now stop whining!" Note that the infinitive "ophouden" is used as an imperative. In Dutch, there are three possible imperative forms: the ‘regular’ imperative, the infinitive used as an imperative, and the past participle used as an imperative. See also 39. Oprotten. )

– "Zit toch niet zo te zeuren!"
("Don’t be such a sorehead/nag!" Lit.: "Don’t you whine / be whining like that!" Note that "zitten" is not used to express the literal "sitting", but is used to indicate a continuing action – in this case "zeuren".)

Related words:
– "Zeuren": to nag, to whine.
– "Zeurkous": synonym of "zeur": nag.
– "Zeurpiet": synonym of "zeur": nag.
– "Klagen": to complain.
– "Een zeurende pijn": a nagging pain.