A
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AVG
A standard Dutch meal of potatoes (aardappelen), meat (vlees) and vegetables (groenten).
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als Pasen en Pinksteren op één dag vallen
[when Easter and Pentecost fall on the same day]
Used to say that something will never happen.
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appeltje-eitje
[little apple - little egg]
When something's really easy, it is 'appeltje eitje'!
D
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de fiets aan de haak hangen
[to hang the bike on the wall]
Originally refers to someone stopping with cycling, putting their bike up on the wall, but can now be used for anyone stopping with something.
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de tering
[tuberculosis]
It's over, everything bad.
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door de mand vallen
[to fall through the basket]
To be found out, fail or exposed in some way.
E
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eerst mijn fiets terug
[first my bike back]
"First my bicycle back" is a statement in the Netherlands, referring to the seizure of bicycles in the Netherlands in World War II by the German occupiers. In the first two decades after the war, it was regarded as an expression of anti-German sentiment. After that, it became more and more an ironic joke, which can be made in any way, shape or form referring to German having stolen bikes and not giving them back.
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ergens doorheen fietsen
[to bike through something]
To go through something fairly quickly.
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ergens een slaatje uit slaan
[to beat a little salad out of something]
To profit from something.
G
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ga toch fietsen
[go ride a bike]
A way of telling someone to go away or to stop being ridiculous.
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geen droog brood [eraan] verdienen
[to not earn dry bread]
To not be able to make a living or earn any money at all from something.
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geen kattepis
[no cat piss]
When something is no joke.
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geen wonder
[no miracle]
Said when something is not very surprising.
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gezellig
Often wrongly translated to 'cosy', but it's much more than that. 'Gezellig' is anything with a good social vibe, being in good company, having a good time. You need other people for it to be 'gezellig'.
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gosjemikkie
An expression of modesty, embarrassment, disappointment, or anger that is fairly inoffensive and tame.
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grensoverschrijdend
[boundary surpassing]
Used to describe things that are unacceptable. Can often used in combination with "gedrag" (behaviour) to describe someone who displays violent or otherwise unacceptable behaviour.
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grijsgedraaid
Playing a record so often that it becomes damaged and the music quality decreases.
I
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iets boven de tafel fietsen
[to bike something above the table]
To get clarity about something or someone's intentions.
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iets door de vingers zien
[seeing something through the fingers]
Allowing something when you shouldn't. It's about pretending not to see something, when you actually do see it: covering your eyes but actually looking through your fingers.
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iets in het contract fietsen
[to cycle something in the contract]
To add something to a contract during negotiations.
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in vogelvlucht
[in bird flight ]
Quickly, or a quick overview or summary of something.
J
M
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maar dan heb je ook wat
[but then you have something]
It’s often used to justify effort, cost, time, or indulgence by emphasizing that there’s a payoff. Also often used ironically, when the justifications are out of proportion, or when the payoff is not desirable.
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mama appelsap
[mama apple juice]
A name used for mishearing a Dutch word in a foreign language song. The name refers to the vocalizations "ma-ma-coo-sah" at the beginning of the song Wanna be startin' somethin' by Michael Jackson (1983), which to Dutch ears sounded like "mama appelsap", which has since turned into the name of the phenomena of hearing Dutch lyrics in foreign songs.
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met de gebakken peren zitten
[to sit with the baked pears]
To be left with an unpleasant situation or problem, often as a consequence of someone else’s actions.
N
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natte tosti
[wet grilled cheese sandwich]
Slick frat boy who uses a lot of hair gel.
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nazomeren
[to aftersummer]
To enjoy warm weather in the months of September or October, right after the summer.
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niet pluis
[not fluffy]
Used when someone has a feeling that something is up, not quite right, or feeling a little scared and unsafe.
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nu breekt mijn klomp
[now breaks my clog]
This is said when suddenly something unexpected happens or is said, which causes astonishment.
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nu komt de aap uit de mouw
[now the monkey comes out of the sleeve]
When everything suddenly makes sense. The truth comes out. The cat is out of the bag. Someone's true nature becomes clear.
O
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om het af te leren
[to unlearn it]
It’s typically used ironically when someone is about to do something one more time, usually something enjoyable, indulgent, or even mildly bad, while pretending it will help you stop doing it in the future.
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onbegonnen werk
[unstarted work]
Something that is impossible.
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op 'n oude fiets moet je het leren
[on an old bike you must learn it]
Used to refer to a young person going out with an older partner (often younger men with older women). It can also be used for people using other learning tools that are quite old (like old books, etc.)
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op die fiets
[on that bike]
When you previously didn't understand correctly, but now you do, you can say "Ah, op die fiets".
P
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peperduur
[pepper expensive]
Very expensive.
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petje af
[little hat off]
A way to say you are impressed.
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plafonddienst
[ceiling duty]
When you aren't able to sleep and stare at the ceiling all night.
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plat praten
[to speak flat]
A way to say you are speaking a dialect or regional language, often those spoken in the north and east of the Netherlands.
R
U
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uitgekeken
[done looking]
To no longer be interested in something. Doesn't have to be a visual thing.
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uitstraling
The impression someone makes on you, the way they look out of their eyes, the way their personality beems into the world - often based on first encounters but can also be used for a friend, a family member or a partner. It’s a very positive word and a huge compliment to receive.
V
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Verweggistan
[Farawayistan]
A proverbially obscure, far away country. Literally means 'farawayistan', and is used similar to Timbuktu or Outer Mongolia in English.
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ver te zoeken
[far to seek]
When something is not present.
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verhaal halen
[to get story]
When you go up to someone to get an explanation or be further informed about a certain thing, sometimes in the context of being owed a story.
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vies weer
[dirty weather]
When it is very rainy.
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vind je het gek?
[do you find it crazy?]
Used rhetorically to mean “no wonder” or “does it surprise you?”, expressing that something is unsurprising or understandable given the circumstances.
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vlees noch vis
[neither meat nor fish]
When something or someone is neither one nor the other, doesn’t belong to anything specific.
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vlieguren
[flying hours]
Hours of experience.
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voor herhaling vatbaar
[susceptible to repetition]
A way to indicate something is worth doing again. Used often to express something was fun, or successful. You can also say something is "not susceptible to repetition", when it was bad and unsuccessful.