Expression USED Frequently BY Some People
(Were you born in church?) • An expression frequently used when someone doesn't close the door. This is due to churches having no closed doors because churches should always be accessible to believers.
"Ben je in de kerk geboren? Doe alsjeblieft de deur dicht."
"Were you born in church? Please close the door."
Expression USED Frequently BY Everyone
(to differ a hair ) • When something is a very close call.
“Was je nog op tijd?” “Ja, maar het scheelde een haar.”
“Were you on time?” “Yes, but it differed a hair.”
Name USED On Occasion BY Some People
(John with the short last name) • "John with the short last name" is a less explicit way of saying "Jan Lul" (John Dick), and if you do something for him it means you are doing something that is pointless or with no result.
"Ik heb er drie uur staan wachten, maar bleek dat ik er stond voor Jan met de korte achternaam."
"I waited there for three hours, but it turned out that I was there for Jan with the short last name."
Submitted August 2020 by amarens
Name USED On Occasion BY Some People
(little Pete Precise) • Used for people who are very precise and detailed in what they do.
"Laat je vader even naar je essay kijken, hij is Pietje Precies."
"Let your father take a look at your essay, he is little Pete Precise."
Word USED Frequently BY Everyone
(v.) • (to sick out) • To rest long enough until you get better. Used when there isn't a cure or medicine available for a certain condition, or when someone needs a period of rest after a more serious case of illness, or when you aren't extremely sick anymore, but not completely cured either.
"Als je griep hebt, zit er niks anders op dan gewoon thuis uitzieken."
"If you have the flu, there is no other option than to just sick out at home."
Word USED Frequently BY Everyone
(v.) • (to bird (something) out) • To figure something out, often in a playful manner.
"Heb je al uitgevogeld hoe die IKEA-stoel in elkaar moet?"
"Have you birded out yet how the IKEA chair fits together?"
Expression USED On Occasion BY Everyone
(Onwards with the goat!) • Used as a call to action, to encourage someone to get on their feet and go!
"De pauze is voorbij, kom op! Vooruit met de geit!"
"Break's over, come on! Onwards with the goat!"
ze niet allemaal op een rijtje hebben
Expression USED Frequently BY Almost Everyone
(to not have them all in a row) • To not be in your right mind. The alternative is to not have them all five in a row, meaning the five senses.
"Ik zag laatst onze buurman z'n planten wateren met bier. Volgens mij heeft hij ze niet allemaal op een rijtje."
"I recently saw our neighbor water his plants with beer. I don't think he has them all in a row."
Expression USED Frequently BY Everyone
(for no gold) • To absolutely not want to do something.
"Ik zou voor geen goud willen skydiven." "Als je het wel doet, bel me dan even. Dat wil ik voor geen goud missen."
"I would skydive for no gold." "If you do, give me a call. I don't want to miss that for no gold."
het beestje bij de naam noemen
Expression USED On Occasion BY Some People
(to call the little beast by the name) • To say clearly and precisely how you think about someone or something. To say exactly how something is. Usually when people try to talk around a certain subject or are trying to avoid phrasing it in a direct way.
"Het is jammer dat etnoculturele factoren nog steeds invloed kunnen hebben op iemands kansen in de woningmarkt" "Je kan het beestje ook bij de naam noemen - mensen hebben een lagere kans op een woning door racisme."
"It is unfortunate that ethnocultural factors can still influence someone's chances in the housing market" "You can also call the bug by its name - people have a lower chance of getting housing because of racism."
Submitted August 2020 by amarens
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."
Expression USED On Occasion BY Some People
(monkey sandwich ) • Something that’s nonsense or made up. Fake news.
“Achteraf bleek dat het allemaal broodje aap was.”
“In the end it turned it it was all monkey sandwich.”
Expression USED On Occasion BY Almost Everyone
(make your breast wet) • Prepare yourself for a lot of hard work or unpleasant conditions.
"Maak je borst maar nat, vanavond gaat het hard onweren."
"Go ahead and make your breast wet, tonight there will be heavy thunder."
Word USED Frequently BY Everyone
(v.) • (to stand) • This refers to how something (clothing, haircut, etc) looks on you. Something "standing" means it looks good on you, but it can also be used in combination with an adjective to indicate how something looks on you by saying "it stands you ..." (good, bad, fantastic, professional, hip, etc.)
"Staat dit of staat dit niet?" "Ik vind het je heel leuk staan." "Ja, staat je heel sjiek."
"Does this stand or does this not stand?" "I think it stands you well." "Yes, stands you very chique!"
Expression USED On Rare Occasion BY Some People
(small beer) • Something relatively unimportant
"Het verliezen van je baan aan Corona is klein bier vergeleken met het verliezen van een familielid aan Corona."
"Losing your job to Corona is small beer in comparison to losing a family member to Corona."
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 Frequently BY Most People
(n.) • (little fresh) • A combination of the Dutch word for soda, "frisdrank" (freshdrink), and the Dutch national pastime of using words in their diminutive form. It's a way of asking for a soda, without specifying which one you actually want. This is usually followed by a brief discussion where the person asking for the "little fresh" is still forced to make a decision about which soda they actually would like to have.
"Kan ik iets te drinken inschenken?" "Ja, doe mij maar een frisje." "Oké, we hebben cola, fanta, rivella..." "Doe maar cola."
"Can I pour you something to drink?" "Yes, you can do me a little fresh." "Okay, we have coke, fanta, rivella..." "Do me a coke then."
Word USED Frequently BY Everyone
(v.) • (to come round) • To make enough money to get by
"Sinds ik minder uren werk is het steeds lastiger om rond te komen."
"Since I've been working fewer hours it's getting harder to come round."
