Word USED Very frequently BY Everyone
When you are in the mood for something to eat or drink, sometimes for something specific, sometimes for food in general. Could also be used in an explicit sense.
"Ik heb goesting in een goei stuk chocolat."
"I am in the mood for a big piece of chocolate."
Expression USED On Occasion BY Everyone
(the ass of pluto) • Literally 'In the ass of Pluto' It means in the middle of nowhere
"Hij woont echt in het hol van Pluto!"
"He really lives in the ass of Pluto!"
Reference USED On Occasion BY Almost Everyone
A name for an obscure, far away country in your language.
"Ik weet niet exact waar deze gebeurtenis plaatsvond, ergens in Verwegistan."
"I don't know exactly where this event happened, somewhere in Verwegistan"
Word USED Frequently BY Most People
(n.) • It describes uncivilized people who often wear tracksuits and a golden chain. They have an old car and often spend their days at bars. They are known to admire the USA, so they usually name their children Kévin, Dylan, Kimberley, Cindy, etc. They are also known to be stupid and sometimes vulgar. Those stereotypical people are known to live in low-income neighbourhoods.
"Il y a souvent des barakis à la buvette du club de foot de mon frère."
"There are often barakis at the refreshment bar at my brother's football club."
Submitted November 2020 by do
Word USED Frequently BY Most People
(v.) • To rain heavily.
"On était à peine sortis de la voiture quand il a commencé à dracher !"
"We just got out of the car when it started raining heavily!"
Expression USED On Occasion BY mainly older generations
(barking dogs don't bite) • Someone who's annoying or threatening usually doesn't do much after all.
"Hij dreigde ermee dat hij m'n gsm zou afpakken als ik niet stopte met sms'en" "Maak je maar geen zorgen, blaffende honden bijten meestal niet"
"He threatened to take my phone away if I wouldn't stop texting" "Don't you worry, barking dogs usually don't bite"
Expression USED Frequently BY Almost Everyone
(make the cat believe that) • If someone says something that's so obviously untrue or ridiculous, you can even tell your cat about it because it just makes no sense.
"Ik heb dit examen op twee uur gestudeerd!" "Dat kan niet! Dat maak je de kat wijs!"
"It only took me 2 hours to study for this exam!" "What, That's impossible! Make that the cat believe!"
Dutch
Belgium and the Netherlands
Expression USED On Occasion BY Almost Everyone
(make that the cat wise) • This is too unbelievable, I dont't believe you.
"Heb je maar twee uur slaap per nacht nodig? Maak dat de kat wijs!"
"You only need two hours of sleep every night? Make that the cat wise!"
Expression USED On Occasion BY Almost Everyone
(torn from the jar) • When something is very crazy or unbelievable and completely random.
"Dat verhaal met die baby's is helemaal van de pot gerukt." "Ja, ik kan het nauwelijks geloven!"
"This story about those babies is completely torn from the jar." "Yeah, I can hardly believe it!"
Word USED On Occasion BY Students
(n.) • (baptism) • An initiation ritual in Belgian universities in order to join one of the university groups. The students who succeed in the initiation are called "baptisés" (= baptised). The "bleus" (= "blues"; the students doing the initiation) have to take part in various activities for a few weeks. A "baptême" is a bit like fraternities and sororities in the US, but there's no attention payed to gender, no restricted number of members, and the baptised don't live together.
"J'ai l'intention de faire mon baptême quand j'irai à l'université, comme ça je pourrai rencontrer des gens plus facilement."
"I intend to do my baptism when I go to university so that I can meet people more easily."
Word USED Very frequently BY Students
(n.) • This word refers to student parties, often in university towns, where beer is highly consumed. There is also music, often old French songs, and student songs. You can also use the verb "guindailler".
"A chaque fois que je vais en guindaille, je deviens mort bourré."
"Whenever I go to guindaille, I get very drunk."
Expression USED On Rare Occasion BY Some People
(to pull out one's map) • To cope on one's own.
"Je vous accompagnerai à l'école et vous aiderai avec vos devoirs durant la première semaine. Après ça, vous tirez votre plan."
"I will accompany you to school and help you with your homework during the first week. After that, you'll have to cope on your own."
Word USED Frequently BY Students
(n.) • Typical Belgian word used by Dutch- and French-speakers. It is a student accommodation, often a flat shared with other students.
"Ce soir, je fais une pré à mon kot; tu viendras?"
"Tonight, I'm having a preparty at my dorm; will you come?"
Dutch
| Flemish
Flanders,
Belgium
As ons kat een koei was, konnen we ze melken veu de stoof
Expression USED On Occasion BY Some People
(If our cat was a cow, we could milk it in front of the hearth) • Used as a reply when someone says something hypothetical starting with "If". It expresses something like: "it's no use thinking that way, because things aren't that way."
"As we een kaart hadde meegenome zoude we nà zo nie zitte zuken." "Ja, en as ons kat een koei was, konnen we ze melken veu de stoof."
"If we had brought a map, we wouldn't be searching like this." "Yes, and if our cat was a cow, we could milk it in front of the hearth."
Word USED On Occasion BY Young People
(tourist) • It refers to students who never have their materials (pen, sheets of paper, ...) or know what they are supposed to do in class.
"Dis, tu peux me passer une feuille? Et un stylo? Et, on doit faire quoi?" "Mec, t'es vraiment un touriste!"
"Hey, can you give me a sheet of paper? And a pen? And, what are we supposed to do?" "Dude, you're such a tourist!"
Expression USED On Occasion BY Almost Everyone
(between the soup and the potatoes) • When something is done very quickly, while you're already busy.
"Ik zal je huiswerk tussen de soep en de patatten wel eens bekijken."
"I'll have a look at your homework between the soup and the potatoes."
Dutch
| Flemish
Flanders,
Belgium
Expression USED On Occasion BY Some People
(the ass of pluto) • The middle of nowhere
"We waren echt in het hol van pluto, er was geen enkel huis te bespeuren!"
"We were really in the ass of pluto, there were no houses to be seen!"
Dutch
| Flemish
Flanders,
Belgium
Expression USED On Occasion BY Everyone
(to fall with your ass in the butter) • To be very lucky, to end up in a good place
"De eigenaar van het hotel was heel vriendelijk. We zijn er echt met ons gat in de boter gevallen!"
"The owner of the hotel was very nice. We really fell with our asses in the butter there!"
Dutch
| Flemish
Flanders,
Belgium
Expression USED On Rare Occasion BY Some People
(life is not a pony camp) • Life is not always easy.
"Ik ben gebuisd voor mijn examen. Helaas, maar het leven is geen ponykamp."
"I failed my exam. It sucks, but life's not a pony camp."
Word USED On Occasion BY Everyone
(n.) • (garden snake) • Garden hose.
"Ik giet de bloemetjes met de tuinslang."
"I water the flowers with the garden snake."
