to have a short fuse, to be short-tempered [Dutch phrase of the week]

This expression is the literal translation of "to have a short fuse". It is a quality of a person (or group), who is quickly aroused to anger. Of course, the expression refers to the fact that explosives with a short fuse go off (too) quickly.

Examples:
– "De mensen hebben tegenwoordig zo’n kort lontje…ongelofelijk." 
("People are so short-tempered nowadays…incredible.")

– "Waarom is Frank zo chagrijnig? Hij heeft een erg kort lontje vandaag…" 
("Why is Frank so cranky? He’s very short-tempered today…")

Expressions:
– "Met het verkeerde been uit bed stappen": to get up on the wrong side of the bed. Lit.: "to get out of bed with the wrong leg".
– "Snel op z’n pik getrapt zijn": to be short-tempered. Lit.: to be quickly stepped upon one’s dick.

Example:
– "Als je iets zegt over Marcs bierbuik, is hij redelijk snel op z’n pik getrapt…"
("When you mention something about Marc’s beerbelly, he’s gets angry quite quickly.")

Related words:
– Boos: angry [adjective].
– Mopperen: to grumble [verb] [mopperde, gemopperd].
– Opvliegend: hot-tempered [adjective].
– Heetgebakerd: hotheaded [adjective].

Example:
– "De politie heeft de heetgebakerde bullebak onmiddellijk gearresteerd."
("The police have arrested the hotheaded bully immediately.")

Extra:
A few years ago, there was a tv-campaign by the SIRE foundation, which tried to make people aware of having a too short "lontje". SIRE tries to create public awareness on social topics which deserve more attention.

In the mid-nineties, there was a tv-campaign that warned against unsafe use of fireworks. The slogan was "Door dat te korte lontje, heb ik nu een hondje": (lit.) "due to that short fuse, I have little dog now" (i.e. a guide-dog). Of course, in English there’s no rhyme…:-)