1. road, way [noun] [de weg, de wegen]

A "weg" is used if, as you might expect, it is more of a road than a street. It is also used for motor/highways: a "snelweg" (lit. "fastway") is a main motorway, for example the A4 from The Hague to Amsterdam with maximum speed limit of 120 km/h (unless otherwise indicated). An "autoweg" is typically shorter with less lanes and a default speed limit of 100 km/h (unless otherwise indicated).

Examples:
– "Op deze weg mag je niet harder dan 80."
("On this road the speed limit is 80." Literally: "… one is not allowed to go faster than 80.)

– "Het is nog vroeg, er zijn niet veel auto‘s op de weg."
("It’s still early, there are not many cars on the road.")

– "Verkeer op een verharde weg heeft voorrang op verkeer dat komt van een onverharde weg."
("Traffic on a paved road has right of way over traffic coming from an unpaved road." This is an actual traffic rule in the Netherlands.)

– "Dat is een donker weggetje, daar moet je als vrouw ‘s nachts niet alleen komen."
("That’s a dark little road, a woman shouldn’t go there in the night (all) by herself." Literally: "…you shouldn’t go there as a woman…" Note that the diminutive of "weg" is not "wegje" but "weggetje".)

Expressions:
– "Aan de weg timmeren": to invest in yourself, to prepare, lit.: to build (on) the road. "Timmeren" is actually hammering wood together with nails 🙂
– "Gods wegen zijn ondoorgrondelijk": God moves in mysterious ways. Lit.: God’s ways are unfathomable.
– "Er zijn vele wegen die naar Rome leiden": there are many roads that lead to Rome.
– "Beren op de weg zien": to see problems ahead, lit.: to see bears on the road.

Related word:
– "Straat": street, road.

2. gone, left, missing, away [adjective/adverb]

Examples:
– "Ga weg!"
("Go away!" Also see ‘Expressions’.)

– "Gooi je dat eten zomaar weg?"
("Are you throwing away that food just like that?" The word "zomaar" also means "without any reason", and is a favourite answer that kids give to explain their bad behaviour 🙂 .)

– "De volgende ochtend was ze weg, zonder een briefje achter te laten."
("The next morning she was gone, without leaving a note.")

Expression:
– "Ga weg!": get… out! (expressing astonishment).

Related words:
– "Verdwenen": disappeared, gone.
– "Vermist": missing, gone. Example: "Vermiste personen": missing persons.

3. crazy, infatuated [adjective/adverb]

Examples:
– "Frank is helemaal weg van de nieuwe secretaresse."
("Frank is absolutely crazy about the new secretary.")

– "Ik haat haar preutse maniertjes, toch ben ik helemaal weg van haar, want ze maakt me aan het lachen."
("I hate her prudish airs, yet I’m completely infatuated with her, because she makes me laugh.")