Dutch Common Dutch Idioms Good For Newbies...

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Friendship Tuesday 06th of December 2005 09:07:52 AM
Common Dutch Idioms - Hello goede mensen:),
I found this list of common Dutch idioms to be extremely helpful, when I first began learning Dutch 21 months ago...

DOEN(to do):
doen als of(to act as though)
Hij doet als of hij dat niet wist.
He acts as though he didn't know that.

doen denken aan(to remind of):
Dat doet me denken aan Piet.
That reminds me of Piet.

dichtdoen(to close)
Ik doe de deur dicht.
I close the door.

opendoen(to open)
Hij doet de deur open.
He opens the door.

pijn doen(to hurt,pain)
Dat doet me pijn
That hurts me.(That does me pain)

GAAN(to go):
zitten gaan(to sit down, be seated)
Gaat u even zitten.
Be seated.

HOUDEN(to hold):
houden van(to be fond of, to love)
Hij houdt veel van haar.
He is very fond of her.

HEBBEN(to have):
dorst/honger hebben(to be thirsty/hungry)
Heb je dorst/honger?
Are you thirsty/hungry?

gelijk hebben(to be right)
He heeft gelijk.
He is right.

haast hebben(to be in a hurry)
Ik heb haast.
I am in a hurry.

het hebben over(to talk about)
Zij hebben het over windmolens.
They are talking about windmills.

het druk hebben(to be busy)
Wij hebben het druk op kantoor.
We are busy at the office.

Het koud/warm hebben(to be cold/warm)
Ik heb het koud/warm.
I am cold/warm.

last hebben van(to be bothered by)
Wij hadden last van het lawaai.
We were bothered by the noise.(We had burden from the noise.)

nodig heben(to need)
Ik heb een auto nodig.
I need a car.(I have a car necessary.)

slaap hebben(to be sleepy)
Ik heb slaap.
I am sleepy.(I have sleep.)

zin hebben in(to like, to feel like)
Heb je zizn in een kopje koffie?
Do you feel like (having a cup of coffee?

KOMEN(to come):
Hoe komy het dat...?
How is it that...?

MAKEN(to make,do):
Hoe maakt u het?
How are you?(How are you making it?)

NEMEN(to take):
kwalijk nemen(To take something wrong, to hold against)
Neem me niet kwalijk.
I beg your pardon.(Don't take me badly.)

Neem het ons niet kwalijk.
Don't hold it against us.

plaats nemen(to sit down)
Neemt u daar plaats.
Sit down over there.(Take place there)

STAAN(to stand):
Deze hoed ataat me niet.
This hat doesn't suit me.(This hat doesn't stand me.)

Het staat in de krant.
It's in the newspaper(It stands in the newspaper)

VALLEN(to fall):
Vallen te...(one can...)
Er valt veel daarover te zeggen.
There is much one can say about that.(There falls much to say about that.)

meevallen(to turn out well(better than expected)
Het valt vandag mee met het weer.
Today's weather is better than expected.

tegenvallen(to turn out badly(worse than expected)
Het feest is ons erg tegengevallen.
The festival was a disappointment for us.

VINDEN(to find):
plaatsvinden(To take place)
Het heeft al gisteren plaatsgevonden.
It took place yesterday.

ZIEN(to see):
er uit zien(to look, to appear)
Zij ziet er vandag mooi uit.
She looks pretty today.

Het ziet er naar uit dat...
It appears that...

ZIJN(to be):
jammer zijn(to be a pity)
Dat is jammer.
That's a pity(That is misery.)

jarig zijn(to have a birthday)
Hij is morgen jarig.
Tomorrow is his birthday.

kwijt zijn(to have lost)
Ik ben mijn sleutels kwijt.
I have lost my keys.

op het punt zijn(to be about to)
Wij zijn op het punt om te vertrekken.
We are about to leave.(We are at the point of leaving.)

van plan zijn(to intend)
Hij is van plan om ons een bezoek te brengen.
He intends to visit us.(He is of plan to bring us a visit.)

voor elkaar zijn(to be in order)
Alles is voor elkaar.
Everything is in order/Everything is fine.

ZITTEN(to sit):
De jas zit goed.
The jacket fits well.(The jacket sits well.)

Zo zit dat.
That's the way things are.(So sits that.)
Don't worry about memorizing this whole list in one night. I have found that these idioms keep appearing very frequently in my reading of Dutch materials, and in my listening to Dutch being spoken(On internet sound files). By the way, newbies, I have discovered a site called "Crashcourse Dutch", that has a list of persons that requested sound files of unique and interesting Dutch phrases. Check it out! Yours in Friendship :D, Friendship...

Mery Tuesday 06th of December 2005 03:14:58 PM
- Hello,

Thanks very much for this useful post :D You made a few typos ;)

[quote]nodig heb[b]b[/b]en(to need)
Ik heb een auto nodig.
I need a car.(I have a car necessary.)[/quote]

[quote]zin hebben in(to like, to feel like)
Heb je [b]zin[/b] in een kopje koffie?
Do you feel like (having a cup of coffee?[/quote]

[quote]KOMEN(to come):
Hoe kom[b]t[/b] het dat...?
How is it that...?[/quote]

[quote]STAAN(to stand):
Deze hoed [b]s[/b]taat me niet.
This hat doesn't suit me.(This hat doesn't stand me.)[/quote]

[quote]meevallen(to turn out well(better than expected)
Het valt vanda[b]a[/b]g mee met het weer.
Today's weather is better than expected.[/quote]

I think that's all :)

Mathieu Tuesday 06th of December 2005 07:36:04 PM
- Very handy topic! Those things are really important, even the more far fetched ones. It probably makes it dramatically less hard to understand and it adds alot to your own expression, so do spend some time on them!

VINDEN(to find):
plaatsvinden(To take place)
Het heeft [b]gisteren al[/b] plaatsgevonden.
It [b]already[/b] took place yesterday.

op het punt [b]staan[/b](to be about to):
Wij [b]staan[/b] op het punt om te vertrekken.
We are about to leave.(We stand on the point of leaving.)
[i](perhaps there are people that use 'zijn' but it would sound like a slip of the tongue to me if someone used it instead of 'staan'[/i]

That's in addition to Mery's well noticed typos :)
Here's some additions I can think of right now, maybe I'll add some later on:

KOMEN (to come)
komen aan (to get, to acquire)
Hoe kom je eraan?
How did you get that? (how did you came on it?)
Weet je hoe ik aan geld kan komen?
Do you know how I could get me some money? (do you know how I can come on some money?)

OPKOMEN (to rise):
Opkomen in (to be thought of by)
Het woord komt even niet in me op.
I can't think of the word just now (the word doesn't rise in me for now).

UITMAKEN (to matter):
Het maakt niet (zo veel) uit
It doesn't (really) matter. (It doesn't matter (that much))
Maakt het (wat) uit?
What's the difference? (Does it matter?)

SCHELEN (to differ):
Het kan me niet schelen
I don't care, I don't give a ***. (It can't differ me)

SCHIETEN (to fire):
te binnen schieten (to suddenly be thought of)
Ineens schoot het antwoord me te binnen
Suddenly I could think of the answer. (suddenly the answer fired into me)
Er schiet me niks te binnen
I can't think of anything (an explanation, etc). (Nothing fires into me)

UITGAAN (to go out):
uitgaan van (assume, expect)
Ik ga ervan uit dat je het inmiddels weet?
I take it that you know by now? (I go out of it that you know it by now?)
Hij gaat ervan uit dat je ook komt.
He expects you to come as well. (He goes out of it that you come too.)

Phrasebase Archive
	Friendship	Tuesday 06th of December 2005 09:07:52 AM
	Common Dutch Idioms - Hello goede mensen:), I found this list of common Dutch idioms to be extremely helpful, when I first began learning Dutch 21 months ago... DOEN(to do): doen als of(to act as though) Hij doet als of hij dat niet wist. He acts as though he didn't know that. doen denken aan(to remind of): Dat doet me denken aan Piet. That reminds me of Piet. dichtdoen(to close) Ik doe de deur dicht. I close the door. opendoen(to open) Hij doet de deur open. He opens the door. pijn doen(to hurt,pain) Dat doet me pijn That hurts me.(That does me pain) GAAN(to go): zitten gaan(to sit down, be seated) Gaat u even zitten. Be seated. HOUDEN(to hold): houden van(to be fond of, to love) Hij houdt veel van haar. He is very fond of her. HEBBEN(to have): dorst/honger hebben(to be thirsty/hungry) Heb je dorst/honger? Are you thirsty/hungry? gelijk hebben(to be right) He heeft gelijk. He is right. haast hebben(to be in a hurry) Ik heb haast. I am in a hurry. het hebben over(to talk about) Zij hebben het over windmolens. They are talking about windmills. het druk hebben(to be busy) Wij hebben het druk op kantoor. We are busy at the office. Het koud/warm hebben(to be cold/warm) Ik heb het koud/warm. I am cold/warm. last hebben van(to be bothered by) Wij hadden last van het lawaai. We were bothered by the noise.(We had burden from the noise.) nodig heben(to need) Ik heb een auto nodig. I need a car.(I have a car necessary.) slaap hebben(to be sleepy) Ik heb slaap. I am sleepy.(I have sleep.) zin hebben in(to like, to feel like) Heb je zizn in een kopje koffie? Do you feel like (having a cup of coffee? KOMEN(to come): Hoe komy het dat...? How is it that...? MAKEN(to make,do): Hoe maakt u het? How are you?(How are you making it?) NEMEN(to take): kwalijk nemen(To take something wrong, to hold against) Neem me niet kwalijk. I beg your pardon.(Don't take me badly.) Neem het ons niet kwalijk. Don't hold it against us. plaats nemen(to sit down) Neemt u daar plaats. Sit down over there.(Take place there) STAAN(to stand): Deze hoed ataat me niet. This hat doesn't suit me.(This hat doesn't stand me.) Het staat in de krant. It's in the newspaper(It stands in the newspaper) VALLEN(to fall): Vallen te...(one can...) Er valt veel daarover te zeggen. There is much one can say about that.(There falls much to say about that.) meevallen(to turn out well(better than expected) Het valt vandag mee met het weer. Today's weather is better than expected. tegenvallen(to turn out badly(worse than expected) Het feest is ons erg tegengevallen. The festival was a disappointment for us. VINDEN(to find): plaatsvinden(To take place) Het heeft al gisteren plaatsgevonden. It took place yesterday. ZIEN(to see): er uit zien(to look, to appear) Zij ziet er vandag mooi uit. She looks pretty today. Het ziet er naar uit dat... It appears that... ZIJN(to be): jammer zijn(to be a pity) Dat is jammer. That's a pity(That is misery.) jarig zijn(to have a birthday) Hij is morgen jarig. Tomorrow is his birthday. kwijt zijn(to have lost) Ik ben mijn sleutels kwijt. I have lost my keys. op het punt zijn(to be about to) Wij zijn op het punt om te vertrekken. We are about to leave.(We are at the point of leaving.) van plan zijn(to intend) Hij is van plan om ons een bezoek te brengen. He intends to visit us.(He is of plan to bring us a visit.) voor elkaar zijn(to be in order) Alles is voor elkaar. Everything is in order/Everything is fine. ZITTEN(to sit): De jas zit goed. The jacket fits well.(The jacket sits well.) Zo zit dat. That's the way things are.(So sits that.) Don't worry about memorizing this whole list in one night. I have found that these idioms keep appearing very frequently in my reading of Dutch materials, and in my listening to Dutch being spoken(On internet sound files). By the way, newbies, I have discovered a site called "Crashcourse Dutch", that has a list of persons that requested sound files of unique and interesting Dutch phrases. Check it out! Yours in Friendship :D, Friendship...
	Mery	Tuesday 06th of December 2005 03:14:58 PM
	- Hello, Thanks very much for this useful post :D You made a few typos ;) [quote]nodig heb[b]b[/b]en(to need) Ik heb een auto nodig. I need a car.(I have a car necessary.)[/quote] [quote]zin hebben in(to like, to feel like) Heb je [b]zin[/b] in een kopje koffie? Do you feel like (having a cup of coffee?[/quote] [quote]KOMEN(to come): Hoe kom[b]t[/b] het dat...? How is it that...?[/quote] [quote]STAAN(to stand): Deze hoed [b]s[/b]taat me niet. This hat doesn't suit me.(This hat doesn't stand me.)[/quote] [quote]meevallen(to turn out well(better than expected) Het valt vanda[b]a[/b]g mee met het weer. Today's weather is better than expected.[/quote] I think that's all :)
	Mathieu	Tuesday 06th of December 2005 07:36:04 PM
	- Very handy topic! Those things are really important, even the more far fetched ones. It probably makes it dramatically less hard to understand and it adds alot to your own expression, so do spend some time on them! VINDEN(to find): plaatsvinden(To take place) Het heeft [b]gisteren al[/b] plaatsgevonden. It [b]already[/b] took place yesterday. op het punt [b]staan[/b](to be about to): Wij [b]staan[/b] op het punt om te vertrekken. We are about to leave.(We stand on the point of leaving.) [i](perhaps there are people that use 'zijn' but it would sound like a slip of the tongue to me if someone used it instead of 'staan'[/i] That's in addition to Mery's well noticed typos :) Here's some additions I can think of right now, maybe I'll add some later on: KOMEN (to come) komen aan (to get, to acquire) Hoe kom je eraan? How did you get that? (how did you came on it?) Weet je hoe ik aan geld kan komen? Do you know how I could get me some money? (do you know how I can come on some money?) OPKOMEN (to rise): Opkomen in (to be thought of by) Het woord komt even niet in me op. I can't think of the word just now (the word doesn't rise in me for now). UITMAKEN (to matter): Het maakt niet (zo veel) uit It doesn't (really) matter. (It doesn't matter (that much)) Maakt het (wat) uit? What's the difference? (Does it matter?) SCHELEN (to differ): Het kan me niet schelen I don't care, I don't give a ***. (It can't differ me) SCHIETEN (to fire): te binnen schieten (to suddenly be thought of) Ineens schoot het antwoord me te binnen Suddenly I could think of the answer. (suddenly the answer fired into me) Er schiet me niks te binnen I can't think of anything (an explanation, etc). (Nothing fires into me) UITGAAN (to go out): uitgaan van (assume, expect) Ik ga ervan uit dat je het inmiddels weet? I take it that you know by now? (I go out of it that you know it by now?) Hij gaat ervan uit dat je ook komt. He expects you to come as well. (He goes out of it that you come too.)