Het was (weer) lachen, gieren, brullen

we really had a good laugh (again), it was a real scream (again)
[Dutch phrase of the week]
[het was weer la-chen, gie-ren, brul-len] 

‘Lachen’ translates as ‘to laugh’ and ‘gieren’ and ‘brullen’ used to be synonyms for ‘lachen’, however ‘gieren’ nowadays is better translated as ‘to shriek/scream’ and ‘brullen’ as ‘to roar’. This week’s phrase can be used to say that an experience was a lot of fun. It can also be used ironically, perhaps preceding it with ‘nou’ and adding a ‘hoor’ at the end 🙂

You may also use different tenses and variants, e.g. ‘Het is altijd/weer lachen, gieren, brullen’.

Examples:
“Ben jij een fan van Mr. Bean?” – “Ja man, elke keer als ik naar hem kijk op tv is het weer lachen, gieren, brullen!” 
(“Are you a fan of Mr. Bean?” – “For sure, every time I watch him on TV it’s a real scream again.”)

“Lachen, gieren, brullen hoor! Als jullie met mij de spot willen drijven dan ga ik wel naar huis, doei!” 
(“Are we having a good laugh again?? If you want to poke fun at me I’ll just go home, bye!”)

“Ik ben naar Hans Teeuwen geweest in de Heineken Music Hall.” – “En, hoe was het?” – “Het was weer lachen, gieren, brullen!” 
(“I went to see Hans Teeuwen in the Heineken Music Hall.” – “How was it?” – “I had a really good laugh again!”)

Expressions:
– “Lachen als een boer met kiespijn”: literally ‘to laugh like a farmer who has toothache’ this says that one is laughing sourly.

Related words:
– Schateren: to roar with laughter [verb] [schaterde, geschaterd]. Birds can also ‘schateren’: to chatter.
– Schaterlachen: synonym for ‘schateren’ [verb] [schaterlachte, geschaterlacht].

Lachen

to laugh
[verb]
[lachen, lachte, gelachen]

Examples:
1. "Lachen is gezond!"
("Laughter is the best medicine!" Literally: "It’s healthy to laugh!")

2. "Ik had tranen in mijn ogen van het lachen."
("I had tears in my eyes from laughing.")

3. "Heb je de film ‘Borat’ gezien? Lachen man!"
("Have you seen the movie ‘Borat’? Really funny!" Literally: "to laugh, man!")

4. "Laat me niet lachen!"
(<sarcastically:>"Don’t make me laugh!" or "who are you kidding!")

Expressions:
1. "Wie het laatst lacht, lacht het best."
("He laughs best who laughs last.")

2. "Lachen als een boer met kiespijn."
("To laugh sourly", literally: "to laugh like a farmer with a toothache")

Related words:
1. "Uitlachen": to laugh at someone.
2. "Glimlachen": to smile.
3. "Lach": laugh.
4. "Gelach": laughter.
5. "Lachwekkend": laughable, ridiculous.

Example:
– "Hoe was de voorstelling?" – "Het was een lachwekkende vertoning!"
("How was the show?" – "It was a ridiculous display!")

6. "Huilen": to cry.