Je bent aan het verkeerde adres

you have not come to the right person, you cannot count on sympathy Iconspeaker_3
[Dutch phrase of the week]

Hek met ketting en slotThe literal meaning of “je bent aan het verkeerde adres” is “you are at the wrong address”, and its meaning is pretty close to the literal translation: you are not in the right place, or you have not come the right person, i.e.: you cannot count on any sympathy.

Examples:
– “Als je denkt dat ik je problemen ga oplossen, ben je aan het verkeerde adres.” 
(“If you think that I am going to solve your problems, think again.”)

– “De betogers bleken bij de politici aan het verkeerde adres te zijn.” 
(“The demonstrators could not count on any sympathy from the politicians.” Lit.: “The demonstrators turned out to be at the wrong address with those politicians.”)

– “Iemand die niet eerlijk is, is aan het verkeerde adres bij mij.” 
(“Someone who is not honest, cannot count on my sympathy.”)

– “Als je je hele vakantie wil liggen bakken op het strand, ben je bij mij aan het verkeerde adres.” 
(“If you want to spend your entire holiday getting a tan on the beach, I’m not your man.” Lit.: “If you want to bake at the beach your entire vacation, then you are at the wrong address with me.”)

Related words:
– Adres: address [noun] [het adres, de adressen].
– Verkeerd: wrong [adjective/adverb].

2 thoughts on “Je bent aan het verkeerde adres

  1. I think an apposite English thowaway comment that would correspond to “je bent aan het verkeerde adres” is “you’re barking up the wrong tree”.
    So, in one of the examples: “If you think that I am going to solve your problems, you’re barking up the wrong tree.”

  2. Another equivalent phrase in English (less common than ‘barking up the wrong tree’) is ‘knocking at the wrong door’. For example, “If you think John will commiserate with you, you’re knocking at the wrong door.”

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