Disambiguation: Dutch 'Voor' - Multiple Meanings and Related Words

Disambiguation Home - 'Al' - 'Als' - 'Daar' - 'Dan' - 'Dat' - 'Door' - 'Eens' - 'Er' - 'Erg' - 'Even' - 'Haast' - 'Het' - 'Laat' - 'Maar' - 'Net' - 'Nog' - 'Of' - 'Om' - 'Over' - 'Toen' - 'Van' - 'Voor' - 'Vroeg' - 'Waar' - 'Wat' - 'Zo' - more

Voor 2

1a. before - time - "before eight" 1b. before, in front of - place - "a tree in front of the house" 2. for - "a present for Mary" 2a. in favor of - "are you for or against?" 3. various, others - "be kind to animals"

1a. 'voor' = 'before' in time

kwart voor drie	a quarter to 3, 2:45
Het begint vòòr acht uur	It starts before 8 o'clock
De donkere dagen voor Kerstmis 2	The dark days before Christmas
De uren vòòr twaalf tellen dubbel 2	The hours before 12 count as double (better sleep)
De stilte voor de storm	The quiet before the storm (literally and figuratively)
De kost gaat voor de baat uit 2 3	Cost, investment precedes profit - Sayings
Kort voor de voorstelling 2	Shortly before the performance
Hoe lang nog voor we weer een overstroming krijgen?	How long before we'll have another flood?
Veiligheid vòòr alles 2	Safety before everything (else) - Safety first! (the English phrase is more common)

Synomyms, Alternates and Related Words

'na'

voor 't eten 2 before dinner (or lunch) na 't eten 2 after dinner (or lunch)

voor de oorlog before the war na de oorlog after the war

voor tienen before 10 na tienen after 10 ->>

't hiernamaals 2 3 the hereafter

Dutch has many common compound words with 'voor' 2 ('before') and its 'time' opposite 'na' ('after')

(het) voorjaar 2 Spring (het) najaar 2 Autumn, Fall (both a bit formal)

(het) voorgerecht ['before-dish'] - appetizer (het) nagerecht [after-dish] - dessert (het) hoofdgerecht main course

(de) nasmaak aftertaste (het) voorproefje 2 'foretaste' (mostly figuratively)

de sonate ervoor 2 the sonata before it het boek erna 2 the book after it

(het) voordeel advantage (het) nadeel disadvantage

(het) voorwoord 2 foreword, preface (het) nawoord 2 afterword

(het) voorgevoel 2 premonition (het) voorteken omen

voorbereiden 2 to prepare (in advance) (de) voorbereiding 2 preparation (readiness)

(het) voorspel ['foreplay'] prelude na U 2 after you (polite)

(het) vooruitzicht prospect, outlook (de) vooruitzichten prospects, outlook

(de) voorouders 2 ancestors (de) nakomelingen descendants (het) nakomertje late child

(het) vooroordeel 2 preconceived notion (het) vooronderzoek preliminary investigation (de) voorwaarde (pre-)condition

(de) voorkeur 2 preference (de) voorrang priority; right-of- -way (in traffic)

See also Time Thesaurus

Verkeer van rechts heeft vaak voorrang 2 3	Traffic from the right often has the right-of-way
Na mij de zondvloed 2 3	After me the deluge (when I'm gone things will go badly) - Louis XIV

1b. 'voor' 'in front of' ('place)

voor 't huis	in front of the house
een boom voor 't huis	a tree in front of the house
Hij neemt geen blad voor de mond 2 3	[He doesn't put a leaf in front of his mouth] - He's not afraid to speak his mind, he doesn't mince his words

Synomyms, Alternates and Related Words

When 'voor' is about place, 'in front of,' the Dutch opposite is 'achter' ('behind, back.') Achter 't huis ('behind the house.')
English 'after' looks suspiciously like Dutch 'achter' ('behind.') It must be from the same root - but the Dutch word is now almost only used for place, rarely for time; and English 'after' on the other hand, is only used for time, not for place - though we still find 'aft' - "lav aft inop."
Though the word achteraf can mean both 'afterwards, after something happened' but also 'remote, remotely located' and 'achter' is found in a time phrase like: achter in de twintig 2 3 ('in my/his/her late 20s') and a word like (de) achterneef ('a distant male relative') ->>
Anne Frank: Het Achterhuis 'Anne Frank' - 'The Back of the House' or 'The House in Back' - usually translated as 'The Secret Annexe.' ->>

voor 't huis in front of the house achter 't huis behind the house

(de) voordeur front door (de) achterdeur back door

(de) voortuin 2 front yard (de) achtertuin back yard

(de) voorsprong 2 headstart, lead (de) achterstand disadvantage, lag (being behind)

(de) voornaam first name, christian name (de) achternaam last name, family name

(de) voorkant front (side) (de) achterkant 2 back >>

(het) voorhoofd forehead, brow (de) achtergrond 2 background

(de) voorhoede 2 3 vanguard (de) achterhoede 2 rearguard

vooruit 2 forward achteruit 2 backward

(de) voorruit 2 front window, windhield (car) (de) achterruit 2 back window (car)

In the last words above, 'voorruit' ('front window, car windshield') and 'achterruit' ('back window') may have the stress in the first syllable, while 'vooruit' ('forward') and 'achteruit' ('backwards') may have the stress on the last syllable - though it may not be very strong.
Dutch (de) 'gang' in a building means 'corridor, hallway.' (De) ingang 2 is 'entry, entrance' - (de) uitgang 2 is 'exit, egress.' It can be combined with 'voor' and 'achter' to form (de) vooruitgang 2 ('front exit') and achteruitgang 2 3 ('back exit.')
De gang derives from gaan ('to go') ->> and in some compound words it can mean something like 'course, development.' With the aforementioned 'vooruit' ('forward') and 'achteruit' ('backward') it forms the words (de) vooruitgang ('progress') and (de) achteruitgang 2 ('decline, regression.')
Listen sharp to where the stress of the word is, and where you may hear a little pause between the parts of the word.

Was er enige vooruitgang? 2 3	Was there any progress?
De klok achteruitzetten 2	To turn back the clock
Hij reed achteruit de garage in 2	He drove backwards into the garage
Achter de wolken schijnt de zon 2	Behind the clouds the sun is shining - things will get better
Als dat achter de rug is 2	When that's behind [our back] us
Achter het net vissen 2	Fishing behind the net - not getting what you want
De kinderen achter het behang plakken	Glueing the children behind the wallpaper (Many a parent's secret occasional wish)
achterhaald	"overtaken" disproven, superseded, outdated, out-of-fashion
voor de hand liggend 2 3	obvious
het ligt voor de hand	it's obvious
vergezocht 2	[remotely sought] far-fetched, far from obvious note unusual 'short E' in 'ver'
achter de hand houden 2 3	keeping something [hidden] in reserve

2. 'voor' = 'for'

Bloemen voor Elly	Flowers for Elly
Een cadeau voor Els 2	A present for Els
Er is genoeg voor iedereen 2 3	There is enough for everybody
Goede voornemens voor het nieuwe jaar	Resolutions for the new year ->>
Zij zingen een lied voor mij 2	They're singing a song for me
Er is bezoek voor je 2	There is a visitor for you /or/ There are visitors for you
voor het nageslacht 2	[for the descendants] - for the next generations
Bedankt voor je brief 2	Thank you for your letter
Waar voor je geld	[Good stuff] Value for (your) money
Wat kan ik voor U doen? 2	What can I do for you? Can I help you? (polite 'you')
U praat te snel voor mij 2 3	You're speaking too fast for me, your talking is too fast for me
Ben je er klaar voor? 2 3	Are you ready for it?
Al die moeite voor niks 2	All that [effort] trouble for nothing, wasted
Niks voor niks 2	'Nothing for nothing' - everything has a price, nothing is free
Een kuiltje voor de jus 2	'A well for the gravy' ->>
Een appeltje voor de dorst 2	[A little apple for the thirst] - Money saved for a rainy day
Een heitje voor 'n karweitje 2	A little job for a quarter (Boy Scouts fundraising slogan)
Voor een dubbeltje op de eerste rang 2 3 4	'The best seats in the house, in first class for a dime' ->>
Er is voor drie dagen eten 2 3	There is food for 3 days
Het is een taak voor de overheid 2	It is a task for the government
Partij voor de Vrijheid	[The political] Party for Freedom
Partij voor de Dieren 2	[The political] Party for The Animals (the Animal Rights Party)
Neem je d'r iets voor? 2	Are you taking something for (against) it? - medication
voor de afwisseling 2 3	for variety
voor de verandering 2 3	for a change
Er was weinig animo voor 2 3	There was little enthusiasm for it (to get involved)
Als er tijd voor is 2 3 4	If there is time (for it)
Er is geen plaats voor 2 3	There is no room for it; there is no space for it
Ik heb er geen tijd voor 2 3	I [have no time] don't have time for it
Ik heb er geen woorden voor 2 3	I don't have words for it - I can't describe how I feel
Er is geen tijd voor 2	There is no time for it
Er is weinig tijd voor muziek	There is little time for music
Is er een ander woord voor? 2	Is there another word for it?
Ik kan het niet voor je doen 2 3 4 5	I can't do it for you
Je moet het zelf doen 2 3	You have to do it yourself
Er is voor jou altijd plaats 2 3	There's always room for you, you're always welcome
Hij staat altijd voor je klaar 2	He's always willing, ready to help you ('there for you')
Hij staat altijd klaar voor je	He's always willing, ready to help you ('there for you')
Voor de laatste keer 2	For the last time
Ik heb 't voor 't laatst bewaard 2	I saved it for last

Vraag niet wat Nederland voor jou kan doen, maar vraag je af wat jij voor Nederland kunt doen 2 3
Do not ask what Holland can do for you, but ask yourself what you can do for Holland
(naar president Kennedy 2)
(after president Kennedy

Note that Dutch leaves out, does not translate 'for' in statements of duration, talking about length of time - more

Ik was drie dagen ziek 2

I was sick for 3 days

3. 'voor' = in favor of

tegen

Ben je voor of tegen?	Are you for or against?
Hij is nergens vòòr 2 3 4	He is not in favor of anything, he is against everything
Hij is overal tegen 2	He is against everything, He is not in favor of anything
Tegen een boom	Against a tree
Tegen het huis 2	Against the house
tegen negenen 2	'at about, just before 9 o'clock' ‑>>
(de) voorstander 2	proponent, supporter
(de) tegenstander 2 3 4	opponent, adversary
(het) tegenvoorbeeld 2	counter-example, opposite example (logic)
Er is wat voor te zeggen 2 3	Something can be said in favor of it (cautious approval)
Daar is wat voor te zeggen 2 3	Something can be said in favor of that (cautious approval)
Er is niks op tegen 2	There's nothing against it
Er is geen enkel bezwaar tegen 2	There is [not any] no objection to it
Tegen beter weten in 2 3	Against my (your/his/her) better judgement
Tegen 't zere been 2 3	['Against the sore leg'] - figuratively hitting someone in a sensitive, already sore spot, like pointing out an already acknowledged failure
't was tegen z'n wil 2 3	It was against his will, not what he wanted
Vechten tegen de Bierkaai / / 't Is vechten tegen de Bierkaai 2 3	'It's like fighting [against] the Bierkaai' - 'a hopeless struggle you can't possibly win' 'De Bierkaai' 2 ('Beer Quay'?) was a rowdy neighborhood in old Amsterdam
Ik kan er niet meer tegen 2 3	I can't stand [against] it anymore
Slakken staan me tegen	[Snails go against my liking] - I'm revolted by the idea of eating snails
ik houd je niet tegen 2	I'm not holding you back, I'm not stopping you
We kunnen tegen een stootje 2 3	['We can deal with a little shock'] - We're not fragile
Ze kunnen slecht tegen hun verlies 2	They deal badly with loss (in games or sports) - they're sore losers

(de) tegenslag 2 3 4	[blow-against] - setback
(de) tegenzin	['inner protest'] - reluctance, distaste - "I'd rather not" ‑>>
(het) tegenlicht	'backlight' - when you take a picture in the direction of the light
tegenover	(adjective) opposite, across
't huis ertegenover 2 3 4	The house opposite it, on the other side of the street
't huis schuin ertegenover 2	The house diagonally across
tegenovergesteld / tegenovergestelde 2	opposite
(het) tegenovergestelde 2	(the) opposite

Sometimes the differences seem to be fluid or meaningless. Or maybe it's my limited understanding of English prepositions. In the next line I wonder if I should translate 'before' or 'in favor of' - or maybe 'over'?

't Zekere voor 't onzekere nemen 2 3

Take the certain before the uncertain - i.e. 'not taking risks' /or:/ Take the certain in favor of the uncertain

'Tegen' and 'against' are not only against a static, physical object, but can also mean 'in the other direction' - like for instance:

Ik heb geleerd tegen de stroom in te zwemmen 2 3
Ik heb tegen de stroom in leren zwemmen 2 3 4 I've learned [to swim against the current] - to go my own way, rebel, not follow current trends, fashion or popular thinking, go against the majority ‑>>

Some examples in the list above are ambiguous, but anyway, the opposites of this other-direction 'tegen' are mee and mede 2 - something like 'along with' - I guess they're alternate forms of met ('with.') The next examples nicely show the meaning:

(de) tegenwind	'wind-against' (you have to fight it) - headwind
wind mee 2 3	wind in your back (helping you) - tailwind ->>
met de klok mee 2 3	'along with the clock, in the direction of the clock' - clockwise
tegen de klok in 2	against [the direction of] the clock - counterclockwise

Door de tegenwind kwamen we maar met moeite vooruit 2 Because of the wind against us we only progressed with difficulty

(de) meeëter	acne pimple (old-fashioned)
(het) medelijden	[co-suffering] pity
(de) medewerking 2	cooperation
(de) tegenwerking	opposition, obstruction
(de) mededeling 2	announcement
meedelen 2	to announce, inform
(de) medemens	fellow man

medeleven betuigen to offer sympathy, condolences
also: "gecondoleerd" 2 '(my) condolences'

bonnetje mee? 2 3 [receipt along with it?] Do you want a receipt? (in a store)

Neem 'n boek mee 2 3 4 [Take along a book] Bring a book

(de) klinker vowel
(de) medeklinker consonant
plural: medeklinkers consonants

There are many compound verbs with mee - often with a tegen opposite

Meevallen 2 is 'turning out not to be as bad as expected'
Tegenvallen 2 3 4 is 'to be worse than expected, to disappoint'

't valt mee	It's not as bad as expected
't valt erg mee	It's really not as bad as feared
't valt tegen	It's worse than expected, it's disappointing
't Zal wel meevallen 2 3	[It will not be as bad as expected] It won't be very bad
Misschien valt 't mee 2 3 4	Maybe it won't be as bad as we feared
Misschien valt 't wel mee 2 3	Maybe it won't be as bad as we feared ‑>>

(Wanneer is 't klaar? 2 3
When [is] will it be ready?)

Als 't meezit ... 2 If things go well, if we're lucky ... Als 't meezit is 't morgen klaar If things go well it will be ready tomorrow

Als 't tegenzit ... 2 if it doesn't go well, if we're not lucky, if things don't work out ... Als 't tegenzit kan 't nog wel een week duren If things don't work out it may take a week

't Zit ons niet mee 2 3 It's not going well, we're having a lot of trouble, luck seems against us

'Meedoen' is something like 'to join in' or 'do something together.'

Wie doet er mee?	Who'll join us? Who's in?
Doe je mee?	Are you taking part? Are you in?
Gezellig dat je meedoet 2 3	It's so nice that you're joining us
Ga je mee?	Are you coming with us?

Wil je meezingen? Would you like to sing along? Willen jullie meezingen? Would y'all like to sing along?

Je moet met je tijd meegaan 2 3 slow You should [go along with] adapt to [your] the (changing) times

meewerken 2 to co-operate
Als jullie niet willen meewerken ... 2 If you guys don't want to co-operate ... (het) meewerkend voorwerp ['cooperating item'] - indirect object, dative

meemaken 2 to experience, 'happen to you,' 'to see' Heb je wel eens zo-iets meegemaakt? 2
Heb je zo-iets wel eens meegemaakt? Have you ever experienced something like that? Has it ever happened to you? Dat heb ik nog nooit meegemaakt That has never happened to me Dat ik dit nog mee mag maken 2 [That I still can see this] - Amazing (or unexpected) that I still came to this experience, that I lived to see this

'Met' 'with' is another form of mee and mede - often translated as 'with' but sometimes that's awkward English and/or it is left out

A secondary item added or attached:

koffie met melk en suiker coffee with cream and sugar ‑>> een boterham met kaas 2 a slice of bread with cheese ‑>> beschuitje met hagelslag 2 rusk with chocolate sprinkles ‑>> krentenbrood met spijs 2 [currants] 'raisin' bread with almond paste, 'Stollen' ‑>> boerenkool met worst curly kale with sausage ‑>> warme melk met honing 2 3 hot milk with honey te veel mensen met te veel geld 2 too many people with too much money ‑>> met man en muis vergaan (saying) [perishing with man and mouse] - said of ships being lost completely, no survivors, nothing recovered roos met knoppen rose with buds ‑>> Jan met de pet 2 ['John with the cap'] - 'the man in the street' tot en met 2 up to and including - 'through' maandag tot en met vrijdag Monday [up to an including] through Friday maandag tot en met zaterdag Monday through Saturday

'Met' can also indicate an item used, a tool, a means, a person involved or an item connecting with a verb, further defining a situation

Ik loop met een stok 2 3 4 I walk with a [stick] cane - more below met alle mogelijke middelen 2 with all possible means, using everything available met man en macht (saying) [with man and power] - with all possible means, a great effort met vereende krachten 2 ['with united [powers] forces'] - working together, a cooperative effort met lege handen 2 3 4 'with hands empty,' not bringing anything or without results met m'n blote handen 2 'with my bare hands' - no tools (no gloves) Met vriendelijke groet, 'With a friendly greeting,' - 'regards' (informal greeting at the end of a letter) in verband met 2 because of [its connection to] met het oog op morgen 2 ['with an eye on tomorrow'] - taking the future into consideration matten met de politie (slang) fighting with the police roeien met de riemen die je hebt 2 (saying) ['row with the oars you've got'] - 'make the best of it working with the material (and people) at hand' met twee maten meten 2 'measuring with two yardsticks - Using two measuring systems' - applying double standards, a biased approach Zij sleten hun dagen met sigaren They spent their days (with) [smoking] cigars met een schone lei beginnen 2 Starting with a clean slate (a new beginning without baggage) Hij heeft vaker met dat bijltje gehakt 2 3 (saying) ['He has hacked with that little axe before' - 'He has wielded that (little) axe before'] - 'he has done that before, he has the experience' (usually in a somewhat unpleasant task) Hij gooit er met de pet naar 2 3 (saying) ['He's throwing his cap at it'] 'He's not making a serious effort' Ik heb het met eigen ogen gezien 2 3 (saying) ['I've seen it with my own eyes'] - I witnessed it myself, personally Ga je met de auto? 2 Are you going by car? Ga je met je eigen auto? Are you going with your own car? Will you be using your own car? Wilt U liever met een tolk spreken? 2 Would you prefer to talk [with] through an interpreter? Ik heb een lang gesprek met m'n baas gehad I had a long talk with my boss Velen met mij ['Many people with me'] - a group of like-minded people, agreeing with me goed kunnen opschieten met 2 3 'to get on well with' (said about good friends) Ik kan goed opschieten met Jan 2 3 I get on well ('fabulously') with Jan Wat is er met Jan? 2 3 What's [going on] with Jan? Hoe is het met je moeder? How is your mother? Hoe zou 't met Kees zijn? 2 3 How will it be with Kees? (haven't seen or heard from him in a long time) Met mij gaat 't goed I'm fine Wat is er met m'n stem? What's (wrong) with my voice? De draak steken met ... (saying) ['stab the dragon with'] - to ridicule, make fun of ... Hoe gaat 't met je werk? How is your work coming along? How is your job? Hoe gaat 't op je werk? How are things at work? Hoe gaat 't met je studie? How are your studies? How are things at school? Niet praten met je mond vol 2 [Don't talk with your mouth full] - Don't speak when your mouth is full of food met kleine slokjes drinken 2 drinking by taking small sips drinken met mate drink (alcohol) [with] in moderation Ik heb 't met veel plezier gelezen 2 I read it with great pleasure] - I really enjoyed reading it met twee woorden spreken 2 ['speak with two words'] - asking children to speak politely met losse handen fietsen 2 [bicycling with loose hands] riding a bike with your hands not on the handlebars Door de tegenwind kwamen we (maar) met moeite vooruit 2 3 4 Because of the [wind-against] headwind we only [moved forward] progressed [with difficulty] slowly met pensioen gaan 2 3 to retire Hij is met pensioen 2 He is retired ‑>> met rust laten ['leave in peace'] - leave alone, don't bother Laat hem met rust 2 Leave him alone, don't bother him Ze hebben ons met rust gelaten 2 They have left us alone, they haven't bothered us Wie helpt er met de afwas? 2 3 4 Who'll help doing the dishes? Hartelijk gefeliciteerd met jullie huwelijk [heartelt] Many congratulations on your marriage

'Met' is also used to place events, things happening on Special Days

met oud en nieuw [at old and new] - during New Year's eve and New Year's day Met Kerstmis gingen we naar de nachtmis At Christmas we went to midnight mass Ik ben met de Kerst vijf pond aangekomen 2 I have gained 5 pounds over the Christmas holiday Wat doe je met Pasen? 2 3 What are you doing at Easter? What are your plans for the Easter holiday? Met m'n verjaardag blijf ik thuis 2 3 I'll stay home on my birthday ‑>>

Occasionally, 'met' indicates a time
Met de Noorderzon vertrokken 2 (saying) [Departed at the North Sun hour] 'Secretly disappeared at midnight' (leaving unfinished business and/or debts behind)

See below for zonder 'without' as the opposite of met 'with' and there are many other examples of the use of met in the paragraphs below and elsewhere on the page met with doos met nummer box with a number zonder without doos zonder nummer box without a number

Very different from compound verbs with 'mee' are verbs that use the preposition met to 'connect' with an object - because that 'met' changes to mee when there is not an object but a placeholder (referring to something mentioned before) instead. (There is not always a verb.) When prepositions are involved, the Dutch placeholders are: er 'it'
daar 'that'
waar 'what'

te maken hebben met 2 3 'having to do with,' 'being a factor in,' 'being involved' - 'being connected' 't Heeft met de temperatuur te maken 2 It has to do with the temperature De vochtigheid heeft er ook mee te maken 2 The humidity is also involved in it Misschien heeft 't daar ook mee te maken 2 3 Maybe it has to do with that too, maybe it's connected, related to that (is there a connection?) Alles grijpt in elkaar 2 Everything is connected Ik wil er niks mee te maken hebben 2 3 [I want nothing ...] - I don't want to have anything to do with it

ophouden met to stop, end, quit, cease ophouden met roken 2 to stop, quit smoking ophouden met werken 2 to stop working, to retire ‑>> Daar moet je mee ophouden 2 You should stop doing that Hou er onmiddellijk mee op! 2 3 Now stop that (immediately) right away!

Waar ben je mee bezig? 2 [What are you busy with] ~What are you working on? Ik ben met iets anders bezig 2 3 I'm busy with, working on something else Je bent er maar druk mee 2 3 It sure keeps, does keep you busy

Ik loop met een stok 2 3 4 I walk with a [stick] cane Ik loop met twee stokken 2 3 I walk with two canes, I use two canes for walking Ik loop soms met een rollator 2 3 I sometimes use a walker Ik kan er goed mee lopen 2 With it I can walk well Ik kan er ver mee lopen 2 I can walk far with it, I can walk good distances with it Ik loop er elke dag mee 2 3 I walk with it every day, I use it every day for walking

Maar wij zitten met de gebakken peren 2 3 (saying) ['But we are left with the baked pears'] But we are the ones that have to pick up the pieces, or more precisely: we are left with an unwanted responsibility Wij zitten ermee 2 3 We are left holding the bag Wij zitten er maar mee 2 3 We are left holding the bag ‑>>

Ik ben blij met een kopje thee I'm happy with a cup of tea, a cup of tea makes me happy Bent U blij met Uw fiets? 2 Are you happy with your bike? (polite 'you') Ben je er blij mee? 2 3 Are you happy with it? (informal 'you')

Ik ben tevreden met wat ik heb 2 3 4 5 I'm happy (content) with what I have Hij is er tevreden mee 2 3 He is happy (content, satisfied) with it

Ik heb moeite met de voorzetsels I have difficulty with the prepositions, the prepositions are difficult for me

Ik ken de regels ... 2 I know the rules ... ... maar ik heb er moeite mee ... 2 3 4 ... but I have difficulty ... ... ze toe te passen 2 3 ... applying them

Daar moet je mee oppassen 2 3 4 You have to, you'd better be careful with that Pas op met vuur! 2 3 Be careful with fire!

Ik heb 't met veel plezier gelezen 2 [I read it with great pleasure] - I really enjoyed reading it ‑>> Veel plezier! 2 Have fun! Veel plezier ermee! 2 Have fun with it!

zich bemoeien met to meddle with, getting involved with something where you're not wanted See also: Reflexive Verbs
Je moet je d'r niet mee bemoeien 2 You shouldn't meddle, stay away from it Bemoei je d'r niet mee Don't get involved with it, go away! (d'r   2 3 4 is a bit slang-y but it's sometimes easier to pronounce than 'er')

Ik ga er gelijk mee aan de gang I'll start on it right away

't eens zijn met 2 3 to agree (with) ('to be on one page') Ik ben 't met je eens 2 I agree with you, I think you're right When even the placeholder is left out it's also 'mee'
Helemaal mee eens! I'm in full agreement, I completely agree

Hoe is 't met je moeder? How is your mother? Hoe is 't ermee? [How is it?] How are you? Het beste ermee! 2 All the best [with it]! Hoe gaat 't met je werk? How's your job going? Hoe gaat 't op je werk? How are things at work? Hoe gaat 't met je studie? [How are your studies?] How is school? Veel succes ermee 2 3 [(Wishing you) much succes with it] - all the best

weg met ... 2 3 4 [Away with ] Down with ... Weg met ongelijkheid! 2 3 4 [Away with ] Down with inequality! Weg met betweters! 2 3 4 Throw out the know-it-alls! Weg ermee! 2 3 4 Down with it! Out with it! Weg d'r mee! 2 3 Down with it! Out with it!

Wie met pek omgaat wordt ermee besmet 2 3 4 (saying) [He who handles, deals with pitch gets contaminated by it] - He who touches pitch shall be defiled - dealing with evil will easily change you for the worse

A modern Bible translation has Luke 9:50 as:
Wie niet tegen ons is, is voor ons 2 3 Whoever is not against You is for You But the traditional version is:
Wie niet tegen U is, is met U 2 3 He that is not against us is for us Also in Matthew 12:30:
Wie niet met Mij is, is tegen Mij 2 3 4 He that is not with me is against me

In speaking to people, Dutch often says tegen where English says 'to' - though you could emphasize the friendliness of the exchange by using met ('with') instead of 'tegen' ('against')

Hij loog tegen mij 2	He lied to me
Zeg 't niet tegen Piet 2	Don't tell Piet
Zeg 't maar niet tegen Piet 2	Better not tell Piet
Zeg maar niks tegen Piet 2 3 4	Better not tell Piet anything (about it)
Zeg je nog even dag tegen Jan? 2	Please take a moment to say Goodbye to Jan
Hij stond te praten met ...	He was talking [with] to ...
Hij stond te praten met Piet	He was talking [with] to Piet
but: Hij sprak hun tegen 2	He contradicted them, he stated it was not like they said
tegenspreken 2 3 4	to contradict

Another opposite of met 'with' is zonder 'without'
For instance, the also in Holland popular French Fries ((de) patat) 2 ‑>> are usually eaten with mayonaise (Fr.) 2 'mayo'
Patat met mayonaise 2 French Fries with mayonaise
or if you prefer without mayo: Patat zonder mayonaise 2
The word 'mayonaise' is often left out: patat-mèt 2 - patat-zonder 2

met prik 2 [with fizz] carbonated (drinks)
zonder prik 2 3 [without fizz] non-carbonated (drinks)

zonder cafeïne 2 without caffeine, decaf
zonder twijfel without (a) doubt
zonder waarschuwing 2 without (a) warning
zonder veel gevaar without much danger
zonder veel moeite 2 3 4 5 without much effort, without much trouble zonder verdoving without anaesthesia
zonder weerga [without (a) reprise] - unique, one-time-only Jan zonder Vrees 2 [John without Fear] John the Fearless (father of Philip the Good ‑>>)

Wie zonder zonden is werpe de eerste steen 'Let him who is without sin[s] throw the first stone'
(John 8:7) Jesus addressing a mob of people who want to stone an adulterous woman - ('werpe' is an old-fashioned imperative)
(de) zondaar 2 3 sinner ‑>> Als een kip zonder kop 2 3 (saying) 'Like a chicken without its head' - acting irrationally Geen rozen zonder doornen (saying) ['No roses without thorns'] 'Nice things always come with problematic attachments' Geen rook zonder vuur [No smoke without a fire] - where there's smoke, there's fire Zonder blikken of blozen 2 (saying) ['without batting an eye or blushing'] - shamelessly doing something questionable Zonder slag of stoot (saying) without resistance, without a fight Gebed zonder end (saying) ['an endless prayer'] something that goes on too long Hoewel het regende ging hij toch zonder jas naar buiten Although it rained, he still went out without a coat Hij onderging de behandeling zonder te klagen He underwent the treatment without complaining Automatisch, zonder erover na te denken 2 3 4 automatically, without thinking [it over] [(de)] zonderling 2 peculiar, unusual, strange, odd; a peculiar, unusual person (~weirdo, ~oddball) (de) uitzondering 2 exception ‑>>
bijzonder special

4. 'voor' = 'to,' 'of,' and others, various

Wees aardig voor dieren	Be kind to animals
Aandacht voor details	Attention to details
Ze zijn een gevaar voor de wereldvrede	They are a danger to world peace
Ik ben allergisch voor katten 2	I'm allergic to cats
Ik ben allergisch voor eieren 2	I'm allergic to eggs
Was dat duidelijk voor je? 2	Was that clear to you?
Hoe weinig tijd er is voor mezelf 2	How little time there is to myself
Ik heb geen moment voor mezelf 2 3	I don't have a moment to myself
Kwart voor drie	A quarter to 3, 2:45 ->>
bang voor 2	afraid of
daar was ik al bang voor 2	I was already afraid of that
Hij is nergens bang voor 2 3	[He's afraid of nothing] - He isn't afraid of anything
Er is niks waar hij bang voor is 2 3	[There is nothing ...] - There isn't anything he's afraid of
hij zorgt goed voor je 2 3	He takes good care of you
Het verdwijnt als sneeuw voor de zon 2	It disappears like snow [before] in the sun
De zoutkorrels in de zandloper vallen één voor één heel langzaam naar beneden 2 slow slow2	The grains of salt in the hourglass fall down one by one, very slowly (~one before the other) ‑>>

To pass or fail (a test) is 'slagen voor' or 'zakken voor' (een examen)

Ik ben blij dat je voor het examen geslaagd bent 2	I'm glad you passed the exam
Ik was kwaad omdat ik weer voor m'n rijexamen gezakt was 2	I was angry because I failed the driving test again
Hoewel hij hard gewerkt had, zakte hij voor het examen	Although he had worked hard he failed the test

(het) voorstel is 'proposal, proposition' and voorstellen 2 is to propose, submit a plan, but the reflexive verb zich voorstellen 2 means 'to imagine' and occasionally 'to introduce oneself'

het voorstel op tafel	the proposal on the table, the proposal that was made
Mag ik me even voorstellen? 2	Allow me to introduce myself
Ik stelde me voor 2	1. I introduced myself 2. I imagined ...
Stel je voor ... 2	magine ... (with another intonation it could also mean: "Introduce yourself!")
onvoorstelbaar 2	unimaginable, impossible to imagine
Stel je voor dat er geen auto's zouden zijn! 2	Imagine that there would be no cars!
Stel je voor dat er geen auto's waren! 2	Imagine that there were no cars!
Ik kan me voorstellen dat ... 2 3 4	I can imagine that ..., it's possible that ...

(De) voorstelling 2 3 is literally 'depiction' but it usually means the performance of a stage play
kort voor de voorstelling 2 shortly before the performance

(Het) voorspel ['foreplay'] is 'prelude,' and in chess 'opening,' but voorspellen 2 is 'to predict' or even 'to prophesy'

de toekomst voorspellen 2	predicting the future ‑>>
voorspelbaar 2	predictable
't Is zo voorspelbaar wat-ie doet	It is so predictable what he does, his behavior is so predictable
onvoorspelbaar 2 3	unpredictable

There's a common phrase

'wat is dat voor een ...?' 2	'What kind of ... is that?'
Wat is dat voor een auto? 2	What [kind of] brand of car is that?
Wat is dat voor een dier? 2	What kind of animal is that, what animal is that?
Wat is dat voor een beest? 2 3 4	What kind of (unpleasant) animal is that? (usually a large bug or a rodent)
Het is een Spijker	It's a Spijker (rare Dutch car brand)
Het is een Daf	It's a Daf (discontinued Dutch car brand)
Het is een bidsprinkhaan	It's a praying mantis

(Het) Voorbeeld = Example

(het) standbeeld 2 3

(het) voorbeeld	example
(het) tegenvoorbeeld 2	counter-example
bijvoorbeeld 2	for example
als voorbeeld 2	as an example

'n sprekend voorbeeld	a [speaking] telling example
Geef 't goede voorbeeld	[Give] Set a good, the right example
Heb je niet meer voorbeelden? 2	Don't you have more (other) examples?
Het enige voorbeeld dat ik kan bedenken	The only example that I can think of
Ik kan zo gauw geen voorbeeld bedenken 2 3	I can't think of an example [that quickly] right away
Hij komt bijvoorbeeld nooit te laat 2	He [comes] is for example never [too] late

More 'beeld' words:
(de) beeldhouwer 2	sculptor
(het) beeldje	small or very small statue plural: beeldjes
(het) beeldscherm 2	computer or television screen
(het) sterrenbeeld	[image of stars] constellation; sign of the zodiac
(het) kruisbeeld 2	crucifix ‑>>
heiligenbeeld	saint's statue

Synomyms, Alternates and Related Words

Ga zo voort! 2	[Go on, continue like that] Carry on!
Zeg het voort! 2	[Say it on] Spread the word
enzovoort 2 enz.	[and so forth] etcetera etc.
voortaan	from now on
Doe voortaan de deur op slot 2 3 4	In the future, lock the door!
Gaat heen en vermenigvuldigt U 2	Go forth and multiply

Dutch Vocabulary Overview - Dutch Grammar Overview - Listen to and Read Dutch

email - Copyright © Marco Schuffelen 2015. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, redistributed, or hotlinked to.
Don't be a dief (thief) / dievegge (female thief) - diefstal (theft) - stelen (to steal) - heler (dealer in stolen goods) - hear Dutch - 2