Dutch Netherlands

met stomheid geslagen

Expression USED On Occasion BY Most People

(to be hit with stupidity) • To be flabbergasted, but usually in a bad way.

"Ik was met stomheid geslagen toen ik erachter kwam."

"I was hit with stupidity when I found out."

Dutch Netherlands

benzineschaamte

Word USED On Rare Occasion BY people who care about climate change

(n.) • (petrol shame) • When you travel by car or plane while knowing it is bad for the environment.

"Met de dalende prijzen van de trein en benzineschaamte nemen steeds minder mensen de auto op vakantie"

"With descending prices for trains and petrol shame, less people are taking the car on vacation."

Confirmed by 5 people

alt

Dutch Netherlands

hoog of laag springen

Standard Phrase USED On Occasion BY Almost Everyone

(jump high or low) • When there is nothing you can do to change something about a situation.

"Je kunt hoog of laag springen, ik ga mijn mening niet veranderen."

"You can jump high or low, but I'm not going to change my mind."

Confirmed by 4 people

Dutch Netherlands

balen

Word USED Frequently BY Everyone

(v.) • A verb used for a feeling that is somewhere between being bummed and upset and feeling frustrated, usually about a situation that can not be changed.

"Ik baal er nog steeds van dat mijn bruiloft niet door kon gaan in verband met Corona."

"I am still bummed/frustrated that my wedding couldn't go through because of Corona."

Confirmed by 3 people

Dutch | Flemish Flanders, Belgium

Zo zot als een achterdeur

Expression USED On Occasion BY Almost Everyone

(As crazy as a back door) • used to refer to someone who is very crazy, or behaving like they are.

"Caligula was zo zot als een achterdeur: hij benoemde zelfs zijn paard tot consul!"

"Caligula was as crazy as a back door: he even made his horse consul!"

Dutch Belgium

ladderzat

Word USED On Occasion BY Almost Everyone

(adjective) • (ladder drunk) • Very drunk.

"Hij is echt ladderzat, hij heeft heel de wc ondertussen al ondergekotst"

"He is really ladderdrunk, in the mean time he already threw up all over the bathroom"

Dutch Netherlands

relativeringsvermogen

Word USED On Occasion BY Everyone

(n.) • An ability to put things into perspective, which happens to be an important quality to have in Dutch culture.

"Het is belangrijk om een beetje relativeringsvermogen te hebben."

"It's important to have 'relativeringvermogen'"

Confirmed by 3 people

Dutch Netherlands

dweilen met de kraan open

Expression USED On Occasion BY Everyone

(to mop with the tap open) • It means to do something without having any chance on succes, or starting something you can’t finish.

"Het bestrijden van drugs is dweilen met de kraan open."

"The battle against drugs is mopping with the tap open."

Dutch Belgium

frietkot

Word USED Frequently BY Everyone

(noun) • (french fry shed) • This is a place where you would buy french fries, as well as the additional snacks like a gehaktbal or a curryworst.

“Ik ga vanavond naar het frietkot voor een vers pak friet!”

“Tonight I'm going to the french fry shed to get some fresh fries!”

Dutch Netherlands

vlees noch vis

Expression USED On Occasion BY Some People

(neither meat nor fish) • When something or someone is neither one nor the other, doesn’t belong to anything specific.

“Deze publicatie is vlees nog vis, is het dagboek of een autobiografie? “

"This publication is neither meat nor fish, is it a dairy or an autobiography?"

Confirmed by 4 people

Dutch Netherlands

feest der herkenning

Expression USED On Occasion BY Some People

(party of recognition) • An experience that is enjoyable because it evokes a feeling of recognition.

"Ik vond vorige week al mijn oude LP's. Ik heb ze meteen opgezet, en het was echt een feest der herkenning."

"I found all my old LPs last week. I put them on immediately, and it was a real party of recognition."

Confirmed by 3 people

syn

Dutch Netherlands

flauwe grap

Expression USED Frequently BY Everyone

(weak joke) • A bad joke.

"Jeetje, wat een flauwe grap."

"Geez, what a weak joke."

Confirmed by 3 people

alt

Dutch Netherlands

bomvol

Word USED On Occasion BY Some People

(adjective) • When something is very full (as if it were about to explode).

"Mijn inbox is echt bomvol."

"My inbox is bomb full."

Confirmed by 3 people

ety

alt

æ

Dutch Netherlands

stresskip

Word USED On Occasion BY Some People

(noun) • (stress chicken) • A stress-prone person, or someone who stresses a lot.

"Doe even rustig, je bent echt een stresskip."

"Calm down, you are such a stress chicken."

Confirmed by 3 people

alt

Flemish Belgium

zo zot als een deur

Expression USED Frequently BY Everybody

(as crazy as a door/backdoor) • Used when someone is completely out of their mind, doing something stupid or just acting really crazy. Also, in old Dutch ‘deur’ meant something as ‘fool’, so it doesn’t actually refer to a door, although no one really uses it that way anymore.

“Heb je gehoord wat hij vorig weekend heeft gedaan?” “Ja, hij is echt zo zot als een achterdeur!”

“Did you hear what he did last weekend?” “Yeah, he really is as crazy as a backdoor!”

Dutch Netherlands

als Pasen en Pinksteren op één dag vallen

Idiom USED On Occasion BY Some People

(when Easter and Pentecost fall on the same day) • Used to say that something will never happen.

"Mama, wanneer krijg ik een PlayStation?" "Als Pasen en Pinksteren op één dag vallen."

"Mom, when do I get a PlayStation?" "When Easter and Pentecost fall on the same day."

Confirmed by 2 people

alt

Dutch Netherlands

je op glad ijs begeven

Expression USED On Occasion BY Everyone

(to find yourself on slippery ice) • To be in a situation where you have to be very careful, or else you will get into trouble.

"Let op je woorden, jongedame. Je begeeft je op glad ijs."

"Watch your language, young lady. You are on slippery ice."

Confirmed by 3 people

Dutch Netherlands

houtje touwtje

Expression USED On Occasion BY Everybody

(little wood little rope) • When something is not really well put together, as if it were handcrafted from only wood and rope.

"Het achterlicht van de auto ging stuk, voor het moment heb ik het houtje touwtje gerepareerd"

"The backlight of my car was broke, for the moment I fixed it little wood little rope"

Confirmed by 3 people

Dutch Flanders, Belgium

goesting

Word USED Very frequently BY Everyone

(noun) • 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."

Confirmed by 4 people

Dutch Netherlands

vies weer

Expression USED Very frequently BY Everyone

(dirty weather) • When it is very rainy.

"Ik was van plan een stukje te gaan lopen, maar het is echt vies weer buiten."

"I was planning on taking a walk, but the weather outside is really dirty."

Confirmed by 5 people