Kleedkamer

 changing room, changeroom, locker room, dressing room [noun] [de kleedkamer, de kleedkamers] [‘kleed-kaa-mur’] Iconspeaker_3

Kleedkamer
The
word "kleedkamer" is used for any type of changing room. However, there
are some subtleties. In general a "kleedkamer" is meant for a group of
people, usually in sports. But a theatre also has "kleedkamers" even
though there might be only one performer. If you go to a clothing store
and want to try something on, you will ask where to find the "paskamer"
or "het pashokje". But if you go to the swimming pool, you can usually
choose between the "kleedkamer" and a "kleedhokje": a one person
changing cubicle.
Note that "kleed" is derived from "kleden" (to dress) and "pas" from "passen" (to fit, to try on).

In football, there is the common expression "een speler naar de
kleedkamer sturen": to send a player to the changing room, i.e. "to
send a player off". And that’s how I got to this word in the first
place 🙂

Instead of "kleedkamer" you may also hear "kleedruimte".

Examples:
"De speler werd naar de kleedkamer gestuurd vanwege commentaar op de scheidsrechter."
("The player was sent off because of criticising the referee." Lit. "… of criticism on the referee.")

– "Als ik naar het zwembad ga laat ik mijn kleren nooit achter in de kleedkamer, want dan worden ze gestolen."
("When I go to the swimming pool, I never leave my clothes behind in the changing room, because then they will be stolen.")

– "Het lukte de twee tienermeisjes om na afloop van het concert van Ricky Martin, de kleedkamer van de zanger te bereiken."
("After the concert by Ricky Martin, the two teenage girls
succeeded in reaching the artist’s dressing room." A "zanger" is
actually a "singer", but "to sing" is "zingen".)

Related words:
– "Aankleden": to put clothes on.
– "Verkleden": to change (one’s clothing).
– "Kleren": clothes, clothing.
– "Douchen": to shower.
– "De handdoek": towel.
– "Het kluisje": locker (lit. small safe).

Spits

1. striker [noun] [de spits, de spitsen] [‘spits‘] Iconspeaker_klein

"Spits" has several meanings in Dutch. During the 2008 European Football Championship, the meaning most often heard is "striker".

Examples:Spits_1
– "Bondscoach Marco van Basten heeft Ruud van Nistelrooy geselecteerd als spits."
("National coach Marco van Basten has selected Ruud van Nistelrooy as striker".)

– "Een paar maanden geleden werd de Real-spits geopereerd aan zijn enkel."
("A few months ago, the Real striker was operated on his ankle.")

– "Wie speelt er bij Nederland in de spits?"
("Who in the Dutch team plays forward?")

2. peak, peak/rush hour [noun] [de spits, de spitsen] [‘spits‘] Iconspeaker_klein

Another meaning of "spits" that you can hear every hour on the radio news, is "peak/rush hour". One of the free daily newspapers is also named "Spits" for this reason (see picture). Related to this meaning is the translation "peak (of a mountain or tower)".

Examples:Spits_2_2
– <Nieuwslezer> "We hebben een drukke ochtendspits zoals gebruikelijk op maandag: 160 kilometer file."
(<Newsreader> "We have a busy morning rush hour as usual on Monday: 160 kilometres traffic jam.")

– "Er komen steeds meer gratis dagbladen zoals ‘Metro’, ‘Spits’, ‘Pers’ en ‘Dag’."
("The number of free daily newspapers such as ‘Metro’, ‘Spits’, ‘Pers’ and ‘Dag’ is growing." Note that "metro" means "metro" or "subway"; "pers" means "press" and "dag" means "day".)

– "De spits van de toren was ernstig beschadigd door de blikseminslag."
("The spire of the tower was badly damaged by the thunderbolt.")

Expressions:
– "De spits afbijten": to go first, be the first (to).

Example:
"Joris beet de spits af met zijn presentatie over HRM."
("Joris was the first to give a presentation on HRM ".)

– "Iets op de spits drijven": make an issue of something.

Example:
– "Ze overdrijft; het was toch nergens voor nodig om het zo op de spits te drijven!"
("
She’s overexaggerating; it wasn’t necessary to make such an issue of it, was it!")

3. sharp, pointy [adjective/adverb] [‘spits‘] Iconspeaker_klein

A third meaning of "spits" is pointy, sharp or pointed.

Examples: Spits_3
– "Zij heeft een spits gezicht met scherpe trekken."
("She has a pointed face with sharp features".)

– "De klompen hebben een spitse neus."
("The wooden shoes have a sharp point." Lit.: ".. have a sharp nose.")

– "De meeste daken lopen spits toe."
("Most roofs end in a point.")

Opstootje

(street) row, disorder, clash, disturbance [noun] [het opstootje, de opstootjes] [‘op-stoot-ju’] Iconspeaker_klein

An
"opstootje"
is a physical confrontation between people. It is not
really a big fight but more a little row or relatively short
confrontation. You might read about "opstootjes" on a Friday night, at the football pitch Voetbalopstootjeor during events with a lot of visitors.
And if it’s not the adrenaline during a sport event, it is most likely
the alcohol that plays an important role. But I also remember being
part of an "opstootje" in the school playground when I was young 🙂

"Opstootje" is a diminutive, but "opstoot" is never really used (other
than in boxing, where it means "uppercut"). The base verb of which it
is derived is "stoten": to bump, knock hit or punch.
                                                                                     
Examples:

"Ondanks de feeststemming en bovenmatige alcoholconsumptie na
de overwinning op Frankrijk, waren er slechts enkele opstootjes in het
centrum van de stad."
("Despite the festive atmosphere and excessive alcohol consumption
after the victory over France, there were only a few disturbances in
the city centre.")

– "De scheidsrechter hield de kaarten op zak en was in staat om de meeste opstootjes in de kiem te smoren."
("The referee did not pull out any cards and was able to prevent most
clashes from getting out of hand." Note that "de kaarten op zak houden"
is a bit of a football/soccer expression: "keep the cards in the
pocket". Literally the second part of the sentence translates to "to
nip the disturbances in the bud".)

– "Hé moet je kijken, volgens mij gaat het daar helemaal los!" – "Nee joh, het is maar een opstootje."

("Hey look at that, I think things are completely getting out of hand
over there!" – "No no, not at all, it is just a little row." Lit. "Hey,
you must look, I think it’s going complete loose over there." The use
of "joh" is informal and it takes some practise to know when you can
use it but it basically strengthens your statement.)

Related words:

– "De vechtpartij": fight.
– "Het geweld": violence.
– "De confrontatie": confrontation.
– "De botsing": the clash, collision.

Fluitconcert

1. catcalls, hissing [noun] [het fluitconcert, de fluitconcerten] [‘fluit-kon-sert’] Kid_2Iconspeaker_klein_2

"Fluitconcert" is composed of "fluit" and "concert", which translate to "whistle" and "concerto"
respectively, hence the literal "flute concerto", see 2.

However, "fluitconcert" is more known in its other context: the disapproving whistling during soccer matches, as can be heard in this video. In English "fluitconcert" would more or less translate to catcalls or hissing.

The diminutive of "fluit" is "fluitje" which was one of our early DWOTDs…check it out!

Examples:
– "Wat een verschrikkelijke wedstrijd! Logisch, al die fluitconcerten…"
("What a terrible match! Makes sense, all that disapproving whistling…")

– "Omdat de scheidsrechter steeds voor buitenspel floot, ontstond er een fluitconcert in het stadion."
("Because the referee continuously whistled for off-side, a hissing/catcalls rose in the stadium.")

– "Tijdens de volksliederen waren er diverse fluitconcerten." – "Geen respect, die supporters…"
("During the national anthems there were numerous catcalls." – "No respect, those fans…")

Related words:
– "Applaus": applause.
– "Juichen": to cheer.
– "Oerwoudgeluiden": monkey sounds (made by so-called supporters during a soccer match). Lit.: jungle sounds.

2. flute concerto [noun] [het fluitconcert, de fluitconcerten] [‘fluit-kon-sert’] Fluit_3Iconspeaker_klein_2

Examples:
– "Het Rotterdams Philharmonisch Orkest speelt nu voor u het tweede fluitconcert van Mozart."
("The Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra will now play for you: Mozart’s second flute concerto.")

Related words:
– "Fluit": flute.
– "Concert": concerto.
– "Dirigent": conductor.

Hup Holland Hup!

Go Holland Go!  [Dutch phrase of the week] Iconspeaker_klein

You might be wondering what everyone’s singing these days during soccer games. “Hup Holland Hup” is one of the most heard phrases and can be translated to something like “Go Holland Go”. In the pronunciation link above, it is pronounced in a serious tone, but in reality it is usually shouted enthusiastically by excited supporters. As was explained in the DWOTD “Knuppel“, the word “hup” is only used in this alliteration. In all other circumstances it would be very archaic (however, it can be used to encourage somebody to hurry up a bit). “Hup Holland Hup” is the first line of the chorus of a popular song that has been sung since 1974:

“Hup Holland hupOranje_leeuw_3
Laat de leeuw niet in z’n hempie staan
Hup Holland hup
Trek het beessie geen pantoffels aan

Hup Holland hup
Laat je uit ‘t veld niet slaan
Want de leeuw op voetbalschoenen
Durft de hele wereld aan”

“Go Holland go
Don’t make the lion look foolish (“Don’t leave the lion behind in his (little) undershirt”. Note that “hempie” is a popular diminutive for “hemd” which can be translated as “undershirt”. The formal diminutive for “hemd” is “hemdje”.)
Go Holland go
Release the animal (Lit.: “Don’t let the animal wear bedroom slippers”. Note that “beessie” is a popular diminutive for “beest” which can be translated as “animal”. The formal diminutive for “beest” is “beestje”.)
Go Holland go
Don’t let them take you aback (Lit.: “Don’t let them beat you out of the field”. Note that the order of the words in this sentence is altered to better fit the melody.)
Because the lion wearing football shoes
Can take on the whole world”

Other songs that are often sung are the one-liner “Het is stil aan de overkant” which can be translated to “It’s quiet on the other side”, and the oldie “Wij houden van Oranje”, translated as “We love (the) Orange (team)”, sung for the first time in 1988 by the famous Dutch singer André Hazes, who passed away in 2004. Below, the chorus of the latter song is shown and translated. Click here to see and listen to André singing this song.

“Nederland oh Nederland
Jij bent de kampioen
Wij houden van Oranje
Om zijn daden en zijn doen”

“The Netherlands oh the Netherlands
You are the champion
We love the Orange team
For all its achievements (Lit.:”For its deeds and actions”)”