Home
Site Map
Mobile
Learning Dutch?
There's Never Been
A Better Time
Pronunciation
Listening
Hear Names
Words
Phrases
Grammar
Search my site: Facebook

Disambiguation: Many common Dutch words have more than one meaning.

Disambiguation Home - Aan - Achter - Af - Al - Als - Binnen/Buiten - Daar - Dan - Dat - Door - Eens - Er - Erg - Even - Haast - Het - In - Laat - Maar - Na - Naar - Net - Nog - Of - Om - Onder/Boven - Op - Over - Toen - Uit - Van - Voor - Vroeg - Waar - Wat - Weg - Zo - more

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

Waar

click to hear
  1. where? - what place? - "Where is the exit?"
  2. where - the place that - "Where Jesus was born"
  3. what - the thing that - "What you should think of"
  4. true - 'real' - "Every word was true"
1. waar? = where?
waar vandaan? = from where?

heen  and naar toe
more toe
hier = here - daar = there
2. waar = where (the place that)
3. waar (with preposition) = what, the thing that
waarom = why
4. waar = true, real
leugens = lies
eerlijk = honest, fair

(de) waarde = value
(de) waar = merchandise, 'wares'

other words
trouw = 'true' - faithful, loyal

1. 'Waar' = 'Where?'

'Where?' is 'waar?' click to hear - like in English, asking for a location ('where is?')
waar is ...? click to hear 2 where is ...?
waar is de ...? click to hear 2 where is the ...?
waar zijn ...? click to hear where are ...?
waar zijn de ...? click to hear 2 where are the ...?
Waar is de uitgang? click to hear Where is the exit?
Waar is de sleutel? click to hear 2 3 Where is the key?
Waar is je boek? click to hear 2 Where is your book?
Waar is 't gebleven? click to hear 2 3 Where did it go? (Something is lost, cannot be found)
Waar ben je? click to hear 2 Where are you?
Waar was je? click to hear 2 Where were you?
Waar ben je geweest? click to hear 2 3 Where have you been? ‑>>
Waar is het station? click to hear 2 Where is the station?
Waar heb je gegeten? click to hear 2 Where have you eaten?
Waar heeft U die tas gekocht? click to hear 2 Where did you buy that bag? (polite 'you')
Waar zijn jullie fietsen? click to hear 2 Where are your bicycles? (plural 'you')
Waar doet 't pijn? click to hear Where does it hurt?
Waar is de dankbaarheid? click to hear 2 3 Where is the gratitude?
Waar is je fatsoen? click to hear 2 Where are your good manners?

When talking about an origin, English says 'from,' Dutch has vandaan click to hear 2

waar vandaan? click to hear 2 3 where from? from where?
Waar kom je vandaan? click to hear 2 3 Where are you (coming) from? (either country of origin or recent travel)
Waar komt die rotzooi toch vandaan? click to hear 2 3 Where in the world does all that garbage come from?

For 'where' asking about a destination, Dutch always adds heen click to hear or naar toe click to hear 2
English says 'Where are you going?' but 'Waar ga je?' is not good Dutch

Waar ga je heen? click to hear 2 3 Where are you going?
Waarheen? click to hear 2 Where to?
Hierheen! click to hear 2 3 This way!
Daarheen! click to hear 2 3 That way!
op de heenweg click to hear 2 on the way there
op de terugweg click to hear 2 3 on the way back
heen en terug click to hear 2 3 there and back (again)
ver heen click to hear 2 far gone (figuratively, 'almost out of reach, almost beyond recovery')
heen en weer click to hear 'up and down, back and forth, to and fro'
compare:  op en neer click to hear 2 up and down (repeatedly, like for instance a seesaw, physical exercise or stocks)
Waar gaan jullie heen op vakantie? click to hear Where are you guys going on vacation?

See also: Travel Words and Phrases and Names of Foreign Lands

Waar moet dat heen, hoe zal dat gaan, waar komt die rotzooi toch vandaan? click to hear 2 3 4 ~ Where [can it possibly go] is it going, how will it go, where in heaven's name does all that garbage come from?

Waar ga je naar toe? click to hear 2 3 Where are you going?
Waar naar toe? click to hear 2 3 Where to?
More 'Toe'
naar me toe click to hear 2 3 towards me
tot nog toe click to hear 2 up until now, as yet, not yet
also: tot nu toe click to hear up until now, as yet
Er is tot nog toe geen beter alternatief click to hear 2 3 There is up till now no better alternative
't Beste dat er tot nog toe is click to hear 2 3 The best there is up till now
toe click to hear 2 1. (encouraging) come on, please, do
2. you must be exaggerating
Toe maar! click to hear 2 1. Go ahead!
2. (amazed) You don't say! You're exaggerating
Toe nou! click to hear Come on!
(het) toetje click to hear dessert (informal)
Wil je iets toe? click to hear 2 3 Would you like dessert?
Het drinken van alcohol is toegestaan click to hear 'Drinking alcohol is permitted'
toevoegen click to hear 2 to add (things)
(de) toevoeging click to hear 2 addition, something added
't voegt niks toe click to hear 2 It doesn't add anything (it doesn't make it better, more interesting etc.)
optellen click to hear 2 to add (numbers) ‑>>
er toe doen click to hear 2 3 4 to 'matter,' be important, make a difference
't Doet er niet toe click to hear 2 3 4 It doesn't matter, it's not important, it doesn't make a difference
Wat doet 't er toe? click to hear What does it matter? (It doesn't matter)
toepassen click to hear 2 3 to apply, put into practice
Ik ken de regels ... click to hear 2 I know the rules ...
.. maar ik heb er moeite mee ... click to hear 2 3 4 ... but I have difficulty ...
... ze toe te passen click to hear 2 3 ... applying them
(de) toestemming click to hear permission
Wie zwijgt stemt toe click to hear 2 3 Those who remain silent give consent, are complicit
af en toe click to hear slow from time to time, occasionally
Je moet er af en toe in roeren click to hear 2 3 4 You need to stir [in] it occasionally, from time to time
Je moet er af en toe naar kijken click to hear You need to look into it occasionally, check it from time to time
toegeven click to hear 2 to admit
het moeten toegeven van fouten click to hear (the) having to admit to mistakes
het moeten toegeven fouten gemaakt te hebben click to hear 2 3 (the) having to admit to having made mistakes
Ik moest toegeven fouten te hebben gemaakt click to hear 2 3 I had to admit to having made mistakes
toegeven click to hear 2 aan click to hear giving in to
toegeven aan verleiding click to hear 2 3 giving in to temptation
But also:  (de) toegift click to hear 2 encore (at a concert)
'Toe zijn aan' click to hear can have several meanings about situations:
Dat is nog tot daaraan toe click to hear 2 3 ~that's borderline acceptable (but the next or other thing really goes too far)
'Ergens aan toe zijn' click to hear 2 3 4 is said when people are not happy or feel they cannot continue much longer in the present situation and are looking forward to a specific change
Hij is aan z'n pensioen toe click to hear 2 3 4 5 'He's sick and tired of work and is ready to retire
Ik ben er nog niet aan toe click to hear 2 I have no great need of it yet, I'm not ready for it yet // I have not reached that point yet
Ik ben aan vakantie toe click to hear 2 3 I need a break like a vacation from work (or school)
Ik ben er hard aan toe click to hear 2 I really, urgently want that (break)
But:  'weten waar je aan toe bent' click to hear 2 3 means 'to know "where you stand," what to expect'
Dan weet je waar je aan toe bent click to hear 2 Then you'll know 'where you stand,' what you can expect
And:  'er slecht aan toe zijn' click to hear 2 3 means 'not doing well, to be in a bad state medically'
Hij is er slecht aan toe click to hear 2 3 4 He's not doing well, he's in a bad shape medically
(het) toedoen click to hear doing, actions, agency
Door toedoen van de koning click to hear By the actions of the king, because of the king's intervention
(de) toeslag click to hear 2 3 surcharge, extra payment
een toeslag op privé-vliegtuigen click to hear 2 3 a surcharge on, an extra payment for private planes
(de) toevoer click to hear 2 supply, input, 'flow'
de toevoer van groente en fruit click to hear 2 3 the supply, incoming transports of produce
toelaten click to hear 2 to allow // to allow entry
niet toelaten click to hear 2 not allowing // not allowing entry
toestaan click to hear 2 to allow, permit
niet toestaan click to hear not allowing
(de) toestand click to hear situation; bad situation - more examples
Wat een toestand! click to hear 2 3 Such a situation! What a mess!
de ware toedracht click to hear 2 3 [The real sequence of events] what actually happened
(de) toename click to hear 2 increase, growth
toenemen click to hear 2 to increase, grow, become larger or more numerous<
(de) toegang click to hear 2 3 entry, access
verboden toegang click to hear ['entry forbidden'] - no admittance, no trespassing, stay out!
(het) toeval click to hear chance, coincidence, random event ‑>>
toevallig click to hear 2 random, by accident, not planned
de toekomst click to hear the future ‑>>
de toekomende tijd click to hear 2 the future tense ->>
toeschouwers click to hear 2 spectators, audience
(de) toespraak click to hear 2 speech, address, presentation
English 'toe' is (de) teen click to hear - plural: tenen click to hear ('toes') ‑>> 2
(de) grote teen click to hear 'big toe'

Synomyms, Alternates and Related Words

'Here' is hier click to hear >> and 'there' is daar click to hear >>
hier en daar click to hear here and there
Hier is 't warm, daar is 't koud click to hear Here it's warm, over there it's cold

2. 'Waar' = 'Where' - the place that, indicate a location

Waar Jezus geboren is click to hear Where Jesus was born ->>
De plaats waar ik vandaan kom click to hear 2 The [place] town where I'm from - My Home Town
Hij vroeg waar het station was click to hear 2 He asked where the station was
Weet jij waar de sleutel is? click to hear 2 Do you know where the key is?
Ik kan niet zien waar het lekt click to hear I cannot see where [it's leaking] the leak is
Hij weet waar Abraham de mosterd haalt click to hear 2 'He knows where Abraham gets mustard' - said of a knowledgeable person, but it can also be said ironically of a not-too-bright person
Waar dan ook click to hear 2 3 4 5 Wherever
Waar je ook bent click to hear 2
also:  Waar je ook maar bent click to hear
Wherever you are

3. 'Waar' = 'What' - 'placeholder'

In Dutch, English 'what' with a preposition is often translated as 'waar' click to hear and not as the 'wat' you'd expect.
Waar denk je aan? click to hear What are you thinking of? (about?)
Waar hou(d) je van? click to hear What do you like?
Waar wacht je op? click to hear 2 3 What are you waiting for? (Often meaning: Take action!)
Hij weet waar-(d)ie het over heeft click to hear 2 He knows what he's talking about
Waarin een klein land groot kan zijn click to hear [In what a small country can be big] - Big things a small country can do
Waaraan heb ik dit te danken? click to hear 2 What do I have to thank for this? What did I do to deserve this? (angrily lamenting misfortune)
Waaraan heb ik dit verdiend? click to hear 2 What did I do to deserve this? (angrily lamenting misfortune)
Dat is niet waar 't om gaat click to hear 2 That is not what it's about, that is not the important thing
Waar gaat 't om? click to hear 2 3 What is it about? What is the important thing?
Waar gaat 't over? click to hear 2 3 What is it about? What is the subject?
Waar ben je mee bezig? click to hear 2 [What are you busy with?] What are you doing? What are you working on? What are you up to?

waarom click to hear 2 [What for?] Why? - see also: Disambiguation 'Om'
Waarom? Daarom! click to hear Why? Because!
Waarom ben je boos? click to hear Why are you angry?
Waarom zijn de bananen krom? click to hear 2 3 Why are the bananas not straight? (said when someone poses an unanswerable question)
Waarom doe je dat? click to hear 2 3 Why are you doing that?
Waarom is dat? click to hear 2 Why is that? Why is it like that?
Waarom is dat zo? click to hear 2 3 Why is that so? Why is it that way?
Vraag niet waarom click to hear Do not ask why, Don't ask me why
Ik begrijp niet waarom click to hear 2 3 I don't understand why
Nou begrijp ik waarom click to hear 2 3 4 Now I understand why
Waarom zijn we hier? click to hear 2 Why are we here? ‑>>
Waarom duurt 't zo lang? click to hear 2 Why does it take so long?
Waarom gaat altijd alles mis? click to hear 2 3 4 Why does everything always go wrong?

Like placeholder 'what' not being translated as 'wat' but as 'waar' when a preposition is involved, 'it' with a preposition is not translated as 'het' but as 'er' click to hear ->> and 'that' with a preposition is not translated as 'dat' but as daar click to hear ->> See also common problems.

4. 'Waar' = 'True' - 'real'

'Waar' click to hear can also mean 'true' or 'real' (waar/ware click to hear 2) like in (de) waarheid click to hear 2 ('truth.')
de waarheid click to hear the truth
twee halve waarheden click to hear two half-truths - irregular plural
Vertel me de waarheid click to hear 2 Tell me the truth, tell me what really happened
Elk woord was waar click to hear Every word was true
Ik weet niet wat er van waar is click to hear 2 ['I don't know what of it is true'] - I'm not sure in how far it's true
onwaar click to hear false, untrue ↓↓
Ze hebben gelogen click to hear 2 They [have] lied ↓↓
(de) waarzegster click to hear 2 ['truth-sayer'] fortune teller (female)
echt waar click to hear 2 'really true'
Is het waar dat ...? click to hear Is it true that ...
't Kan wel waar zijn click to hear 2 It may be true (but ...)
't Schijnt niet waar te zijn click to hear 2 3 It seems not to be true
't Kan best wel waar zijn click to hear 2 3 It may well be true, it's possible that that is the truth
Wat is er van waar? click to hear 2 3 4 What (part) of it is true? How much of it is true?
Raar maar waar click to hear 2 3 Strange but true
de ware toedracht click to hear 2 3 The real sequence of events, the real cause, what really happened, the facts of the matter
Te mooi om waar te zijn click to hear 2 3 Too [beautiful] good to be true
Te vies om waar te zijn click to hear 2 3 [Too dirty to be true] - Impossibly dirty
(de) ware Jacob click to hear 2 [True, real Jacob] Mr Right
weliswaar click to hear although ['but it is true that ...']
... nietwaar? click to hear 2 3 [... isn't it true?] ... isn't it?
"We benne op de wereld om mekaar te hellepe niewaar?" click to hear 2 (slang) We are in this world to help each other out, isn't it?

In the next two examples, the meaning depends on context and intonation, the way it's said:

Het is niet waar click to hear It's not true!
Het is niet waar click to hear (ironic:) It's not true, I don't believe you - like: "You don't say!"

(de) leugen click to hear lie, untruth
leugens click to hear 2 lies
(de) leugenaar click to hear 2 liar
onwaar click to hear false, untrue
onwaarheden click to hear 'untruths,' lies
Al is de leugen nog zo snel, de waarheid achterhaalt haar wel click to hear 2 3 4 (saying) ['However quick a lie may be, the truth will overtake it'] - Lies won't last, truth will come out eventually (one hopes) Als ik ergens een hekel aan heb is het aan leugens click to hear 2 3 If there is [something] one thing that I hate it is lies Ze hebben jullie onwaarheden verteld click to hear 2 They have told you guys [untruths] lies, they lied to you

liegen
to lie (say what's not)
ik lieg
I'm lying
wij liegen
we're lying
ik loog
I lied
wij logen
we lied
ik heb gelogen
I have lied
click to hear
- see also
Ze hebben gelogen click to hear 2 They have lied, they lied
Hij loog tegen mij click to hear 2 He lied to me
't Was dus allemaal gelogen click to hear 2 So all of it it [was lied] were lies, it turned out to be all lies
één van beide is dan gelogen click to hear 2 And then one of the two [has been lied] is a lie
Wanneer mag je liegen? click to hear 2 3 4 [When are you ...] Under which circumstances is it allowed to lie, tell untruths?
Als ik ergens een hekel aan heb is het aan mensen die liegen click to hear 2 If there is [something] one thing that I hate it is people that tell lies

eerlijk click to hear honest, fair
eerlijk delen click to hear 2 to share fairly
Eerlijk zullen we alles delen click to hear 2 We'll share everything fairly
Hij was eerlijk, maar beleefd click to hear He was honest but polite
't Is niet eerlijk click to hear 2 It's not fair

Synomyms, Alternates and Related Words

Dutch also has the noun (de) waarde click to hear ('value,' "worth") found for instance in:
waardevol click to hear 2 valuable
waardeloos click to hear 2 "worthless," - without value, useless, not interesting
(de) waardering click to hear 2 'valuation' - or usually: 'appreciation'
Ik ben gaan waarderen click to hear 2 3 I've come to appreciate
Ik wil graag helpen click to hear 2 3 I want to help, I really want to help people
... maar soms wordt 't niet op prijs gesteld click to hear ... but sometimes it's not appreciated
... maar 't wordt soms niet op prijs gesteld click to hear ... but sometimes it's not appreciated
't Wordt niet op prijs gesteld click to hear 2 3 It's not appreciated
(het) gevoel van eigenwaarde click to hear ['sense of your own worth'] - 'self-esteem'

Similar to English 'wares,' Dutch has '(de) waar' click to hear meaning 'merchandise, commercial goods,' or by extension, 'good stuff,' "value"
occasional plural: (de) waren click to hear 2

(de) koopwaar click to hear merchandise, commercial goods
(de) handelswaar click to hear merchandise, commercial goods
(het) warenhuis click to hear storehouse, commercial goods storage
vleeswaren click to hear 2 deli meat (for sandwiches)
Waar voor je geld click to hear [Good stuff, value for (your) money] - a good buy

Dutch also has a not uncommon adjective and adverb 'waard' click to hear meaning 'worth, having (a) value.'
't Is niet de moeite waard click to hear 2 It's not worth the trouble niet de moeite waard click to hear 2 not worth the effort, not worth the trouble Is 't 't waard? click to hear 2 Is it worth it? (cost/value analysis) Is 't 't geld waard? click to hear 2 3 Is it worth the money?

The noun '(de) waard' is a bit old-fashioned. It can mean 'innkeeper' and also 'an area enclosed by rivers' - in that last meaning it's still found in geographical names, for instance 'De Hoekse Waard' click to hear (near Rotterdam.)
Uiterwaarden click to hear ['outer ~banks'] - the meadows between a river and the river dikes that may flood from time to time

I'm not sure all the following words are really related:

waardig click to hear 2 ['deserving'] 1. worthy, worth 2. dignified
waarschijnlijk click to hear 2 ['true-seeming'] - probably ‑>>
(de) waarneming click to hear 2 ['truth-taking'] - observation
(de) waarschuwing click to hear 2 3 warning
(de) voorwaarde click to hear condition (precondition)
de enige voorwaarde click to hear the only condition ('just one condition')
(de) voedingswaarde click to hear 2 nutritional value(s) ->>

English 'true' is related to Dutch trouw click to hear 2 'faithful, loyal' - and the noun (de) trouw 'faithfulness, loyalty'
"trouwe vriend" click to hear 2 'faithful, trusted friend'
"trouwe makker" click to hear 2 'faithful, trusted comrade'

betrouwbaar click to hear 2 ['can be trusted'] - 'trustworthy, reliable, dependable'
(het) vertrouwen click to hear 2 'trust, belief, confidence'
vertrouwen click to hear 2 'to trust'
vertrouwd click to hear 2 3 'trusted // familiar'
(het) zelfvertrouwen click to hear 2 'self-confidence'
[(het)] wantrouwen click to hear 2 3 1. 'mistrust' 2. 'to mistrust, to distrust'

Ik vertrouw 't niet helemaal click to hear 2 I do not [completely] fully trust it, I'm a bit suspicious
Ik heb er geen vertrouwen in click to hear 2 3 'I'm not confident, I do not trust it, I don't think it's going to work or end well
Wie kun je nog vertrouwen? click to hear 2 3 Who can you still trust?
Kunnen we die mensen vertrouwen? click to hear Can we trust those people?
Kun je ze vertrouwen? click to hear 2 Can you trust them?
vertrouwen click to hear 2 op click to hear to trust, have faith in
Ik vertrouw op het gezond verstand click to hear 2 3 I trust the [healthy thinking] common sense
Ik vertrouw op het gezond verstand van de mensen click to hear 2 I have faith in the people's common sense
Hij is allesbehalve betrouwbaar click to hear 2 3 He is [everything except reliable] certainly not to be trusted
Ik verbaas me over het zelfvertrouwen click to hear 2 I'm amazed at the self-confidence

trouwens click to hear 2 3 - by the way ..., as a matter of fact
Hij is trouwens familie van me click to hear 2 3
He is a relative, by the way / He happens to be a relative

The obviously related 'trouwen' click to hear 2 3 is 'to marry' more marriage

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

email - Copyright © Marco Schuffelen 2014. 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