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The Small Change of Conversation

Why? - Because - The Reason - Cause & Effect

Ik zie het verband click to hear 2 3 I see how it's connected (the Gestalt) Alles grijpt in elkaar click to hear 2 'everything is connected, all things hang together' Van 't een kwam 't ander click to hear 2 One thing led to another Van 't een komt 't ander click to hear 2 3 That one thing brings about something else (de) samenloop van omstandigheden click to hear ['convergence, [running] coming together of circumstances'] - coincidence ‑>>

Why? (Waarom)
Because (Daarom, Omdat, Want, Daar)
The Reason (De Reden)
Cause and Effect (Oorzaak en Gevolg)
Miscellaneous, Various (Allerlei)
Explaining, Understanding (Verklaren, Begrijpen)

Why

waarom? click to hear 2 why? what for? what is the reason? Waarom zijn de bananen krom? click to hear 2 3 Why are bananas not straight?
(rhetorical question in reaction to another question without answer)
Waarom ben je boos? click to hear Why are you angry? 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? 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 ben je nu hier? click to hear Why are you here now? Waarom duurt 't zo lang? click to hear 2 Why does it take so long? Er is geen reden waarom hij niet zou kunnen winnen click to hear There's no reason he couldn't win Waarom een Nederlander? click to hear Why a Dutchman? ‑>> Waarom moet 't zo moeilijk zijn? click to hear 2 Why does it have to be so difficult? Waarom kan 't niet gemakkelijk zijn? click to hear 2 Why can't it be easy? Waarom hij wel en ik niet? click to hear 2 3 Why him and not me? Waarom gaat altijd alles mis? click to hear 2 3 4 Why does everything always go wrong? Vraag niet waarom click to hear 2 Do not ask why

Because

daarom click to hear 2 that's why, the reason why, because of that Waarom? Daarom! click to hear Why? [That's why!] Because! ... en daarom ben ik weggegaan click to hear 2 3 .. and that's why I left ... en daarom wil ik geen elektrische fiets click to hear 2 3 ... and because of that I don't want an electric bicycle

omdat click to hear 'because'
Hij was blij omdat 't mooi weer was click to hear He was happy because the weather was nice Ik was kwaad omdat ik weer voor m'n rijexamen gezakt was click to hear 2 I was angry because I had failed the driving test again Omdat ik het niet verstond click to hear 2 Because I didn't (could not) hear what was said Omdat ik het niet begreep click to hear 2 3 Because I didn't understand (it) - the how or why, the idea Omdat ik het zeg click to hear 2 3 4 Because I say [it] so (an authoritarian statement) Omdat het niet anders kan click to hear 2 3 [Because it can't be (done) differently] - Because there is no other way ... omdat er geen bewijs is click to hear 2 3 ... because there is no proof Omdat er zoveel te zien was click to hear Because there was so much to see Omdat ik Nederlands ben click to hear Because I am Dutch

'Want' click to hear 2 can also mean 'because' but only at the start of a subsentence giving a reason, usually somewhere halfway a sentence. It can also be translated into English as 'for.'
Ik eet geen witlof meer want het is te duur click to hear 2 I don't eat Belgian endives anymore because [it's] they're too expensive Ze bleven een week in Delft ... click to hear They stayed in Delft for a week ... ... want er was zoveel te zien click to hear 2 ... because there was so much to see ... want er is geen bewijs click to hear 2 slow ... because there is no proof ... want de mens gaat naar z'n eeuwig huis en de rouwklagers gaan rond op de straat click to hear ... because Man goes to his eternal home and the mourners go about in the streets ->>

[woollen mitts]
wanten click to hear 'mitts'
(De) want click to hear 2 is 'mitt,' a 2-compartment glove
English 'to want' (wish, desire, would like to) is usually translated as willen click to hear 2 more

Daar click to hear as 'because' is old-fashioned, bookish, but it has several other, more common meanings
Daar er geen bewijs is ... click to hear 2 3 Because there is no proof ... Daar de verwachte groei uitbleef, werd de fabriek weer gesloten click to hear 2 Because the expected growth didn't materialize the factory was closed (again) Aan de grens lette iemand op wie vertrok. "Heer, daar ik zie dat U weggaat, bid ik U: schrijf een boek voor mij ..." click to hear At the border, an attendant watched who was leaving. 'Lord, as I see that you're leaving, I pray: Please write a book for me ...'

The Reason

(de) reden click to hear 2 reason, cause, motivation
plural:  redenen click to hear 2 reasons etc.
Dat is de reden click to hear 2 3 That is the reason, that's why Ik weet niet wat de reden is click to hear I don't know what the reason is, I don't know why om een-of-andere reden click to hear 2 for one reason or another geen speciale reden click to hear 2 3 4 5
geen bijzondere reden click to hear 2 3 4 (for) no special reason om gezondheidsredenen click to hear 2 for reasons of health, because of their health Er is geen reden waarom hij niet zou kunnen winnen click to hear There is no reason why he couldn't win de voornaamste reden click to hear 2 3 the major, most important reason de belangrijkste reden click to hear 2 the major, most important reason een goede reden om op te houden click to hear 2 3 a good reason to stop, end activity Er is geen goede reden voor click to hear 2 3 There is no good reason for it Er is niet echt een reden voor click to hear 2 There is 'not really' a reason for it Er is geen reden tot paniek click to hear 2 3
(Er is geen reden voor paniek click to hear 2 3) There is no reason to (for?) panic met recht en reden click to hear [with right and reason] - lawfully and reasonable

Do not confuse (de) reden  click to hear 2 ('reason, cause, motivation') with (de) rede  click to hear 2 3 'reason, rationality.' Pronounce those final N's!
(de) rede click to hear 2 3 1. reason, rationality
2. speech, address, presentation
3. ships anchoring ('parking') area outside harbor
de triomf der rede click to hear 2 3 the triumph of reason (old-fashioned) rede en gevoel click to hear 2 3 reason and feeling, 'heart and mind' (de) redenering click to hear 2 argumentation, line of reasoning redelijk click to hear 2 (redelijke click to hear) reasonable, fair // rational, sensible een redelijke hoeveelheid click to hear 2 3 a reasonable, fair, rather large amount onredelijk click to hear 2 3 unreasonable, unfair, not right, unjust 't Is onredelijk click to hear It's unreasonable

(de) aanleiding click to hear 'occasion,' 'reason,' 'trigger event'
naar aanleiding van ... click to hear 2 3 in reaction to, in response to ... 'De aanleiding' can also be the 'trigger event,' 'the catalyst.' The classic example is the start of the First World War. That war had been brewing for years and for many reasons, but started in the Summer of 1914 because of the assassination in Sarajewo. It could have started after another event at another time - or maybe not at all or in a different form.
De aanleiding tot de Eerste Wereldoorlog click to hear 2 3 4 The trigger event [of] that set off the First World War

Cause and Effect

oorzaak en gevolg click to hear 2 3 cause and effect (de) oorzaak click to hear cause
(het) gevolg click to hear effect, result, consequence
Ik weet niet wat de oorzaak is click to hear I don't know what the cause is, I don't know what's causing it Ik weet niet wat de reden is click to hear I don't know what the reason for it is, I don't know what's causing it Dat zijn de gevolgen click to hear 2 Those are the results Hier ziet men de gevolgen click to hear 2 3 4 Here [one sees] you see the results, the consequences ingrijpende gevolgen click to hear 2 3 far-reaching, consequential consequences Kleine oorzaken hebben soms grote gevolgen click to hear 2 3 [Small causes sometimes have big effects] - Small things can have large results, minor causes may have major consequences 't Heeft gevolgen voor ... click to hear 2 It has an effect on ..., there are consequences for ... Dat komt ervan! click to hear 2 3 4 That's the result (of your action)

(het) effect click to hear 2 3 effect, result, outcome
plural:  effecten click to hear 2 3 (unusual)
't Heeft een vreemd effect click to hear 2 3 It has a strange effect In sports, Dutch can say a ball has effect click to hear 2 3 - 'spin'
effectief click to hear 2 3 effective
efficiënt click to hear efficient efficiënter click to hear 2 more efficient doeltreffend click to hear 2 [goal-hitting] effective
(het) resultaat click to hear 2 3 result, effect
'Effecten' click to hear 2 3 (usually in the plural) is also the Dutch word for stock, shares, parts of a company owned, money invested in companies
(de) effectenbeurs click to hear 2 stock exchange (het) Beursplein click to hear 2 the square housing the Amsterdam stock exchange (het) aandeel click to hear 2 1. stock (certificate)
2. contribution, part

(de) actie click to hear 2 action
plural:  acties click to hear actions
(de) reactie click to hear reaction
reageren click to hear 2 3 to react
reageren op click to hear 2 3 to react to
(de) 'daad' click to hear ['deed'] - act, action, activity "Geen woorden maar daden!" click to hear 2 ['Not words but actions'] - We want action, not words

Ik word er gek van click to hear [I'm being driven crazy by it] - It's driving me crazy Ik word er misselijk van click to hear 2 3 It makes me nauseous, it nauseates me, It makes me sick, it gives me nausea Ik word er ziek van click to hear 2 It makes me sick, it's making me sick (literally or figuratively) Ik werd er ziek van click to hear 2 I got sick of it (literally or figuratively) Ik word er zo ziek van click to hear 2 I'm getting very sick of it (literally or figuratively) - I'm tired of it Ik werd ziek van de herrie click to hear 2 I got sick from the loud noise, the loud noise made me sick Ik word er wanhopig van click to hear 2 [I become desperate by it] - It makes me despair, it drives me to desperation Word je er gelukkig van? (old-fashioned) click to hear 2 3
Word je er happy van? click to hear 2 3 Does it make you happy? Ik word er doodmoe van click to hear 2 [It makes me dead-tired] - it's exhausting // (usually) very annoying [I'm made to feel very tired by it] - It makes me feel exhausted Ik werd er helemaal naar van click to hear [I was made to feel horrible by it] - It made me feel sick all over Ik word droevig van de toestand in de wereld click to hear 2 I'm saddened by what's going on in the world

Ik werd wakker van de wekker click to hear I was woken up by the alarm clock Dat wordt een bende! click to hear 2 3 That [will become] is going to be a mess Dutch worden click to hear 2 can mean 'to become' more but is also the auxiliary verb for the passive voice

(De) last click to hear 2 is literally 'load, burden' but it's more often used as 'trouble, bother' - especially in phrases like:
last hebben van click to hear 2 to be bothered by, given trouble by and:  last krijgen van click to hear to be bothered by, given trouble by - in the future or an expectation Ik krijg er last van click to hear 2 3 It's going to bother me, it will give me trouble (for instance, mentioning a food allergy) Daar krijg je last van click to hear 2 3 That's going to bother you, that will give you trouble (a medical or dental problem that needs to be addressed) Ik krijg er hoofdpijn van click to hear 2 It gives me a headache ‑>> Daar krijg je een knauw van click to hear 2 3 [That bites you] - That causes much damage to you (a setback in attitude, outlook) Ik krijg er genoeg van click to hear 2 [I'm getting enough of it] - I'm sick of it Ik heb er genoeg van click to hear 2 [I''ve had enough of it] - I'm sick of it (stop it! -or- I'm leaving) Krijgen van  can also mean to receive, 'get' from, like for instance a present
Ik heb 't van Piet gekregen click to hear [I received it from Piet] - It was given to me by Piet

afhangen van click to hear 2 3 to depend (on) ‑>> 't Hangt er vanaf click to hear 2 3 It depends ... 't Hangt van de temperatuur af click to hear 2 3
't Hangt af van de temperatuur click to hear 2 3 It depends on the temperature
also: 't Heeft met de temperatuur te maken click to hear 2 It has to do with the temperature ('has to do' - the temperature is just one of the factors) - more below
Laat 't daarvan afhangen click to hear 2 3 Let it depend on that, take a decision, proceed based on that afhankelijk click to hear (afhankelijke click to hear) dependent onafhankelijk click to hear independent
onafhankelijkheid click to hear independence

(De) schuld click to hear 1. fault, blame
2. a debt, something owed (usually money) ‑>>
de schuld geven click to hear 2 3 to blame
Ik kreeg de schuld van de ruzie click to hear [I got the blame of the quarrel] - I was blamed for the quarrel 't Is je eigen schuld click to hear 2 3 4 It's your own fault, you yourself are to blame (de) boete click to hear fine // penance
(de) straf click to hear punishment ‑>>

te maken hebben met click to hear 2 3 'having to do with,' 'being a factor in,' 'being involved' - 'being connected' ‑>> 't Heeft met de temperatuur te maken click to hear 2 It has to do with the temperature Note that when the item or factor involved is not mentioned but 'placeholders' are used instead, met click to hear changes to mee click to hear ‑>> - Dutch 'placeholders' with prepositions are er click to hear 'it'
daar click to hear 'that'
waar click to hear 'what'
De vochtigheid heeft er ook mee te maken click to hear 2 The humidity is also involved in it Misschien heeft 't daar ook mee te maken click to hear 2 3 Maybe it has to do with that too, maybe it's connected, related to that (is there a connection?) Zou 't daar ook mee te maken hebben? click to hear 2 3 Does it also have to do with that? Is that also a factor?

Ik wil er niks mee te maken hebben click to hear 2 3 I don't want to have anything to do with it, I don't want to get involved with it

hoewel click to hear although
Hoewel de proef mislukte, hebben we toch veel geleerd click to hear Although the experiment failed, we still learned a lot Hoewel het regende, ging hij toch zonder jas naar buiten click to hear 2 Although it was raining, he still went out without a coat In 'hoewel' constructions like these 'toch' may also be left out:
Hoewel hij hard gewerkt had, zakte hij voor het examen click to hear Although he had worked hard, he (still) failed the test

Danken click to hear is a somewhat formal word for 'to thank.' more
Waaraan heb ik dit te danken? click to hear 2 [What is causing this? How do I deserve this?] - Why does this happen to me? (anger at misfortune)
Also:  Waaraan heb ik dit verdiend? click to hear 2 What did I do to deserve this? (angrily lamenting misfortune)
Two other derived words for this page:
dankzij click to hear 2 'thanks to'
ondanks click to hear 2 3 'despite, in spite of'
Dankzij het pilletje ging de hoofdpijn over click to hear 2 3 4 Thanks to the (little) pill the headache went away, the pill ended the headache Dankzij de fysiotherapie ging de pijn over click to hear 2 3 Thanks to the physical therapy the pain went away Dankzij een lening kon hij het bedrijfje kopen click to hear 2 (-ie) (-ie2) [Thanks to] With a loan he [could] was able to buy the (small) company Ondanks de regen hadden we toch een leuke dag click to hear 2 Despite the rain we still had a nice day Ondanks de lening kon hij het bedrijf toch niet redden click to hear 2 3 (-ie) (-ie2) Despite the loan he [still] couldn't save the company

Vraag en aanbod click to hear 2 Demand and supply (de) vraag click to hear 2 usually means 'question' but it can also mean economic 'demand'
(het) aanbod click to hear [what's offered] - 'supply'
Veel vraag en weinig aanbod betekent hoge prijzen click to hear 2 [Much] High demand and [little] low supply means high prices Een lage olieprijs betekent minder elektrische auto's click to hear 2 A low oil price means fewer electric cars ‑>>

English 'then' is translated as toen click to hear 2 3 for situations in the past ‑>> and dan click to hear 2 for future events ‑>> - Dutch dan  can also mean 'than' ‑>>
Toen was ik op reis click to hear 2 3 I was traveling then, at the time I was traveling Dan ben ik op reis click to hear 2 3 Then, at that time I [am] will be traveling groter dan click to hear 2 bigger than Dan  as 'then-future' can point to results of certain actions or circumstances, 'in that case:'
Dan houdt alles op click to hear 2 ['Then everything ends'] - That changes everything, it's no use continuing after that Dan moet ik iets anders bedenken click to hear 2 3 Then I'll have to think [up] of something else (we need a new plan) Dan ben je nog niet jarig click to hear 2 3 ['Then it won't be like your birthday'] - You'll be in trouble, you'll suffer Dan weet je dat voor eens en altijd click to hear 2 3 Then you'll know (that) once and for all (you won't forget it) more of this Dan
See also: als ... dan  (if/when ... then)
Haast je als je de tijd hebt, dan heb je de tijd als je haast hebt click to hear 'Hurry when you have time, then you'll have time when you're in a hurry' (informal 'you') Toen ik het licht aandeed sloegen de stoppen door click to hear 2 3 When I turned on the light the fuses blew out

'Verkeerd' click to hear (verkeerd / verkeerde click to hear 2) wrong, not correct
Heb ik iets verkeerd gedaan? click to hear 2 Have I done something wrong? Wat heb ik verkeerd gedaan? click to hear 2 3 What have I done wrong? What mistake have I made? Wat kan ik verkeerd gedaan hebben? click to hear 2 3 What can I have done wrong? What mistake have I made? Hoe had ik het anders kunnen doen? click to hear How could I have done it differently? - 'anders') Wat had ik anders kunnen doen? click to hear 2 3 4 What could I have done differently? - this can mean two things:
1. a question about the procedure, like the line above
2. an excuse, 'What else could I have done? There was no alternative'
Kun je er wat aan doen? click to hear 2 3 Can you do something about it? Wat kun je d'r aan doen? click to hear 2 3 4 What can you do about it? Wat beweegt die mensen? click to hear 2 3 [What 'moves' those people?] - What is their motivation? (to do something commonly considered unpleasant, horrible)

There is no simple equivalent of 'impact - having an impact' in Dutch.
You can use (de) invloed click to hear 2 'influence'
Heeft 't er invloed op? click to hear 2 3 Does it influence, does it have an impact? or  (de) stempel click to hear ('rubber') stamp
't Drukt een stempel op ... click to hear 2 3 It has an impact on ... But both are a bit formal and sound 'official.' You could say
't Heeft gevolgen voor ... click to hear 2 There are consequences for ... which may be the most neutral. For a negative impact, you could say
't Zet een domper op ... click to hear 2 3 It has a negative impact on ... (for instance, a tragic event dampening festivities) - it puts a dampener on ...

(de) reflex click to hear 2 reflex

Miscellaneous, Various - Allerlei click to hear 2

Honger maakt rauwe bonen zoet click to hear 2 ['hunger makes raw beans sweet'] - Want changes your perception Wat maakt 't uit? click to hear 2 3 What difference does it make? (None - it doesn't matter) more maken

't Zet niet aan click to hear 2 It doesn't make a difference, it doesn't help, it doesn't make it better 't Bederft m'n eetlust click to hear 2 It [ruins] spoils my appetite Geen rook zonder vuur click to hear [No smoke without a fire] - where there's smoke, there's fire Een druppel op een gloeiende plaat click to hear 2 3 ['a drop of water on a red-hot surface'] - 'too little' - a totally ineffective remedy or an attempt to help that falls far short Hij is terecht ontslagen click to hear 2 [He was justly fired] - His firing was justified, there was good reason for it ‑>>

leiden click to hear tot click to hear leading to more leiden
't Leidde tot veel vertraging click to hear 2 3 It led to much delay, it caused much delay 't Leidt alleen maar tot meer ellende click to hear 2 3 It only leads to more misery, all it does is cause more trouble

(het) verband click to hear 1. connection, context, association
2. bandage, wound dressing ‑>>
Ik zie het verband click to hear 2 3 I understand the connection, I see how it's related Is er enig verband? click to hear 2 Is there any connection? Are these things related Boomgroepen, dorpen, geknotte torens, kerken en olmen in een groots verband ... click to hear Clumps of trees, villages, truncated towers, churches and elm trees in a grand union ... more in verband met ... click to hear 2 in connection with, because of, due to (de) verbinding click to hear 2 3 connection, link, attachment, combination, compound

waarschuwen click to hear 2 3 4 to warn
Hij waarschuwde voor complicaties click to hear 2 3 He warned of complications ‑>>

voorbereiden click to hear 2 to prepare (for the future) ‑>>
Op alles voorbereid click to hear 2 prepared, ready for anything Ben je er klaar voor? click to hear 2 3 Are you ready (prepared) (for it)? ‑>>

voorkomen (voorKOmen) click to hear 2 to prevent, keep from happening ‑>> Voorkom problemen click to hear 2 Prevent problems We hadden 't kunnen voorkomen click to hear 2 We could have prevented it

Explaining, Understanding

verklaren click to hear 2 1. to explain ‑>>
2. to declare, state, pronounce
(de) verklaring click to hear explanation // declaration Ik kan het niet verklaren click to hear 2 I can't explain (it) - I don't understand onverklaarbaar click to hear 2 3 unexplainable, it cannot be explained, it's impossible to explain 't Is me een raadsel click to hear It's a [riddle] mystery to me de enige logische verklaring click to hear 2 3 4 the only logical explanation, the only explanation that makes sense (de) onafhankelijkheidsverklaring click to hear 2 declaration of independence (of countries)

duidelijk click to hear (duidelijke click to hear - duidelijk / duidelijke click to hear) clear, easy to understand etc.
Was dat duidelijk voor je? click to hear 2 Was that clear to you? Did you understand that? more 'duidelijk'

Ik begrijp 't niet click to hear I don't understand it (the how or why) Ik begrijp niet hoe 't werkt click to hear I don't understand how it 'works' (how the mechanism runs) Wat ik nu pas begrijp ... click to hear 2 What I only now understand ... Toen ik de sterren zag begreep ik ... click to hear 2 3 When I saw the stars I understood ... ‑>> more begrijpen

Ik vraag me af hoe het komt click to hear 2 I wonder how (why) it came about, I wonder how it is that Ik weet niet hoe 't komt click to hear 2 3 I don't know how it came about, I don't know what is causing it

'Waar' click to hear can mean 'true' or 'real' (waar/ware click to hear 2) - next to 'where?' and 'what' ‑>>
(de) waarheid click to hear 2 ('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 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
onwaarheden click to hear 'untruths,' lies
Ze hebben jullie onwaarheden verteld click to hear 2 They have told you guys [untruths] lies, they lied to you Ze hebben gelogen click to hear 2 They [have] lied '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 it is the truth Wat is er van waar? click to hear 2 3 4 What (part) of it is 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

vertellen click to hear 2 'to tell'
Vertel de waarheid! click to hear 2 [Tell the truth!] Say what really happened! Vertel me de waarheid! click to hear 2 Tell me the truth, Tell me what really happened! Hij vertelde mij de waarheid click to hear He told me [the truth] what had really happened Hij vertelde mij wat er gebeurd was click to hear He told me what had happened Hij vertelde hun wat er gebeurd was click to hear 2 He told them what had happened Ik vertel je de waarheid click to hear 2 I'm telling you the truth Wie heeft je dat verteld? click to hear 2 Who told you (singular) that? Wie heeft jullie dat verteld? click to hear 2 Who told you (plural) that? Niemand heeft me iets verteld click to hear 2 Nobody told me anything De agent vertelde de rechter wat hij gezien had click to hear <The policeman told the judge what he had seen De verkenner vertelde de kolonel snel wat hij gezien had click to hear 2 The scout quickly told the colonel what he had seen Wat Vertellen Ons De Wolken? click to hear 2 3 What Do The Clouds Tell Us? (title of a famous weather forecasting book) Ik wil 't best wel vertellen hoor click to hear 2 3 4 I really don't mind telling [it to] you Kan iemand me vertellen ...? click to hear 2 3 Can someone tell me ...? // Is there anybody who can tell me ...? Hoe kun je dat zien? click to hear 2 3 4 How can you see that? How can you tell? more 'vertellen'

Leren click to hear 2 means both 'to teach' and 'to learn.'
(de) les click to hear lesson ‑>>
Heb je d'r wat van geleerd? click to hear 2 Did you learn something from it? Did it teach you something? Laat 't een les zijn! click to hear 2 3 [Let it be a lesson] - I hope you learned something from it, I hope it (the bad thing that happened) has taught you something Weer wat geleerd! click to hear 2 3 [Learned something again] - I learned something new! more leren

[cogwheels]
(het) tandwiel click to hear 2 3 [tooth-wheel] - cog, cogwheel
(Het) rad click to hear 2 is an old-fashioned word for 'wheel,' now mostly used for cogwheels. It has the irregular plural  raderen - hear: rad / raderen click to hear - the diminutive of 'rad'  is radertje click to hear 2 'small cogwheel,' like in a mechanical watch
(de) spil click to hear 2 3 (small) axis, pivot
Wat is een mens dan het produkt van zijn omgeving? Wat doet een mens dan reageren of niet-reageren op wat er om hem heen gebeurt? Wat is een mens dan een radertje of zelfs maar een spil in een immens, volmaakt samenhangend geheel? click to hear
Een radertje, in beweging gezet en gehouden door een ander radertje; een wieltje, dat op zijn beurt een, of twee, andere wieltjes aan de gang houdt; click to hear
of, als we gelukkig zijn, de spil waaromheen een ander draait. click to hear
Maar: wat gebeurt er eigenlijk? Waar is het allemaal begonnen? Draai ik, willoos in een mechaniek omdat ik aangedreven wordt en die energie door moet geven, omdat ik me niet uit het uurwerk los kan maken - of draaien alle radertjes om mij heen omdat ik ze aandrijf, laat ik zelfs de veer zich ontspannen?
Ziet U - het maakt niets uit, het is hetzelfde. click to hear
(from my 1979 novella  'Proeve van Bekwaamheid' click to hear 2 ‑>>)

The Small Change of Conversation
More pages like this:
Meet and Greet
Commenting on Statements and Opinions
Ziek - Talking about Not Feeling Well
Talking about Time
Chance, Luck, Outcomes and Risk
Expectations and What Happens

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Gij zult niet stelen click to hear 'Thou shalt not steal'