volatile, capricious, inconstant
[adjective/adverb]
[wis-pel-tu-rig]
'Wispelturig' is a nice word to expand your vocabulary with (and potentially to impress your future Dutch in-laws, but only of course when your Dutch partner is in fact 'wispelturig'). It can be used for both persons and the way things evolve (course of actions).
Examples:
– "Ik vind het lastig om met haar om te gaan; ze heeft een heel wispelturige persoonlijkheid."
("I find it difficult to interact with her; she has a very volatile personality." In general 'omgaan met' translates as 'to handle', 'to deal with'.)
– "Mijn manager is nogal wispelturig. Dat is niet erg handig, want een leidinggevende moet vooral duidelijk zijn."
("My manager is rather capricious. That's not very convenient, because the person in charge must be clear (in his intentions) if anything." The word 'leidinggevende' literally translates as 'giver of direction/guidance' and is the common Dutch word for manager.)
– "Hij is heel wispelturig in zijn doen en laten. Ik geef de voorkeur aan mannen met een stabiel karakter."
("He is a very inconstant person in the way he acts. I prefer men with a stable character." Note the expression 'iemands doen en laten': someone's doings/comings and goings.)
– "Het wispelturige verloop van de aandeelbeurzen is kenmerkend voor deze periode."
("The capricious course of the stock markets is characteristic of this period.")
Related words:
– Grillig: whimsical [adjective/adverb].
– Onvoorspelbaar: unpredictable [adjective/adverb].
– Wisselvallig: unstable, changeable [adjective].
Example:
– "De komende dagen is het wisselvallig weer en ik raad u aan om regelmatig buienradar.nl te raadplegen."
("The coming days the weather will be unstable and I recommend that you regularly check buienrader.nl." In general 'raadplegen' translates as 'to consult', 'to refer/turn to'.)
– Wisselend: variable, varying [adjective].
– Instabiel: unstable, inconstant [adjective].
Ha!
“but only of course when your Dutch partner is in fact ‘wispelturig'”
In fact she is! 🙂
And, she wouldn’t mind me saying so because she always says so herself “Oh, you know me, I’m so wispelturig”.
Haha, I’m glad the things I write make sense 🙂
I’m sure everybody learning Dutch has future Dutch in-laws (sarcasm).