dream [noun] [de droom, de dromen] [‘droom‘]

Just like in English the Dutch word "droom" is used both literally and figuratively. The related verb is "dromen".

Examples:
– "Gelukkig was het maar een droom!"
("Luckily it was just a dream!")

– "Mijn droom is om – later als ik groot ben – beroemd te worden."
("It’s my dream to become famous when I’m a grown-up." Literally: "My dream is to – later when I am tall – become famous.")

– "Ik heb vannacht een onwijs bizarre droom gehad!"
("I had a truly bizarre dream last night!" The word "onwijs" is a bit informal.)

Expressions:
– "Dromen zijn bedrog": dreams are lies. Literally: dreams are deception. Check out the song "Dromen zijn bedrog" by the popular Dutch singer Marco Borsato.

– "… van mijn dromen": … of my dreams. For example: meisje, man, huis, baan (girl, man, house, job).

– "Iemand uit de droom helpen": to disillusion someone, to open someone’s eyes. Literally: "to help someone out of the dream."

Related words:
– "Dromen": to dream.
– "Nachtmerrie": nightmare.
– "Remslaap": REM sleep.
– "Natte droom": wet dream.
– "Klaasvaak": Dutch name for the character that helps you fall asleep. We haven’t seen him in quite a while 🙂 What is the English equivalent?
– "Dagdromen": to daydream.
– "Fantasie": fantasy.