Top

top, peak, tip [noun] [de top, de toppen; ‘top‘]

"Top" can be used as a separate noun, but also in combination with another noun, see the examples.

Examples:
– "Velen zijn gestorven op weg naar de top van de Mount Everest."
("Many have died on the way to the top of the Mount Everest.")

– "De weg naar de top is lang."
("The road to the top is long.")

– "EU-top bereikt akkoord over een nieuw verdrag."
("EU-top reaches agreement on a new treaty.")

– "Mijn vingertoppen doen pijn, omdat ik lang gitaar gespeeld heb."
("My fingertips hurt, because I played the guitar for a long time.")

– "Er is in Nederland veel discussie over het salaris van de topmannen in de semi-publieke sector."
("In The Netherlands, there is a lot of discussion on the salary of the top men / senior executives in the semi-public sector.")

– "Met een topconditie kun je een topprestatie leveren…of je neemt doping…"
("With a top condition you can achieve a top performance…or you take drugs…")

Nietbrommen_1
– "De topsnelheid van een bromfiets hoort 40 km per uur te zijn."
("The maximum speed of a moped should be 40 km per hour." A "bromfiets" literally means a "humming" bike. You will also see the verb "brommen" in this context.)

Expressions:
– "Top!": "Great!" / "Agreed!" / "Deal!"
– "(Helemaal) toppie!": <informal:> "(Absolutely) great/fantastic!"

Related words:
– "Topper": cracker, informal word for someone who is very good at something.

– "Toppertje": like topper, but more informal. Also the name of a 2006 summer hit called "Toppertje" by "Guillermo & Tropical Danny" in which "toppertje" is a drink. Check out their classic first live performance on video on YouTube. This song also illustrates the use of the pet names "schat" and "moppie".

– "Piek": peak.

Extra:
In The Netherlands we have an ensemble of three singers who call themselves "De Toppers". They’re quite popular. All three have (had) solo careers, but now and then they team up, and for some reason they are able to fill up entire football stadiums with party people…

3 thoughts on “Top

  1. I have a CD of Christmas songs from them, courtesy of C1000.
    I am surprised at their popularity too — particularly since it seems like something only very old people would like nowadays.
    [dwotd moderator: Brett refers to “De Toppers”]

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