Hardnekkig

persistent, stubborn Iconspeaker_3
[adjective/adverb]
[hard-nek-kig]

Hardnekkig "Hardnekkig" implies that whatever it is that is persistent, also proves to be very difficult to get rid of. So it is typically used when something is experienced as inconvenient. The word seems to be related to "hard" ('hard') and "nek" ('neck') but I'm not sure about the origin.

Examples:
– "Ik heb het hem nogmaals gevraagd, maar hij blijft hardnekkig volhouden dat hij het niet gedaan heeft." 
("I have asked him once more, but he stubbornly maintains that he was not the one who did it." Lit. 'that he has not done it'.)

– "Hoe is het met je verkoudheid?" – "Nog steeds niet over, het is echt hardnekkig." 
("How is your cold?" – "Still not gone, it's really persistent.")

– "Hij heeft zijn excuses meerdere malen aan haar aangeboden, maar zij trakteert hem op een hardnekkig stilzwijgen." 
("He apologized to her several times, but she offers him stubborn silence in return." Lit. 'she treats him to a stubborn silence'.)

– "Er doen hardnekkige geruchten de ronde over de kabinetsformatie." 
("Persistent rumours on the formation of the cabinet are going around.")

– "Wij hebben een mierenplaag in huis…" – "Nou, succes ermee, dat zijn echt hardnekkige beestjes." 
("We have an ant plague in the house…" -  "Well, good luck, those are persistent creatures." Note that "beest" translates as "animal" or "beast" but "beestjes" is commonly used for small insects.)

Related words:
– Volhardend: persevering [adverb/adjective].
– Volhouden: to persevere [verb] [hield vol, volgehouden].
– Persistent: persistent [adjective].
– Aanhouden: to continue, to last [verb] [hield aan, aangehouden].

2 thoughts on “Hardnekkig

  1. Hi Elena! Thanks a lot for your contribution. Certainly interesting!
    And you know, those oxen can be ‘hardnekkige beesten’! 😉
    Sander

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