mate, pal, buddy, friend [noun] [de makker, de makkers] ['ma-kur']
"Makker" is originally a synonym for "vriend", the Dutch equivalent of "friend". It is now mainly used for the more informal "mate" or "buddy".
"Makker" and "vriend" can be used to informally and semi-friendly address a man you do not know, especially when you feel treated impolitely. This requires some experience though 
Have a look at the Examples.
Examples:
- "Hé makker, wat wil je drinken?"
("Hey mate/buddy, what do you want to drink?")
- "Marc en ik zijn al jaren makkers."
("Marc and I have been friends for years.")
- "Wat maak je me nou makker! Ik zag deze parkeerplaats het eerst!"
("What’s up with that buddy! / What’s this mate! I was the first to spot this parking spot!" Literally: "what do you make me now…")
- "<bij de bakkerij:> Sorry makker, ik was eerst!"
("<at the bakery:> I’m sorry mate/pal, I was (the) first!")
Related words:
- "Dienstmakker": somebody that was in military service with you. The Dutch military service was abolished about 10 years ago. It is usually abbreviated from "militaire dienst" to "dienst".
- "Vriend": friend.
- "Maat": another informal synonym for "vriend".
Great blog for all of us who are learning Dutch
Friends from Londonderry always used to call each other mukker- Slang that I guess has carried over from Dutch.
Nick, mukker, interesting addition! Bedankt!
The use of ‘mucker’ is by no means confined to Derry. It’s quite common (if slightly outdated) British slang for a mate or buddy.
It’s generally found in phrases such as “me old mucker” – see http://www.google.com/search?q=me-old-mucker for 23,000 hits!
I’m not sure whether it’s cognate with ‘makker’ or just a coincidence – would be interesting to find out…
Fantastic blog by the way
Hi Neil, a bit of googling shows that “makker” might be derived from the old-English “gemaecca” (“match”, “equal”). I’m not sure about “mucker”
Makker (or Mucker?) is used in a similar way in (northern) German slang for “boy friend” and if you feel mistreated.
Hey, this is really nice. I finally learnt the meaning of my surname. ‘Makker’ is my surname