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Easy Dutch 2: Recognizable Words by Subject

In some fields, many old words survived.

Colors

rood	oranje	geel	groen	blauw	wit	bruin	grijs

Only black and purple are very different:			but an old Dutch word for purple looks more familiar: purper
	zwart	paars

The Article

de / het / 't de het 't

(the)

een, 'n

(a)

één

(one)

>> >>

The Days of The Week, The Months and The Seasons

(de) dag 'day' - dagen 2 'days' - note the plural vowel change dagelijks 2 'daily' (every day)

(de) week 'week' weken 2 'weeks' wekelijks 2 'weekly'

(de) maand 'month' maanden 'months' maandelijks 2 'monthly'

(het) jaar 'year' jaren 'years' jaarlijks 2 'yearly'

The days of the week, the months and the seasons also look recognizable. Some say they were adopted in the Middle Ages from the Latin of the Roman Catholic Church, though both in English and Dutch several refer to the old Germanic gods, like Wednesday for chief god Wotan (Dutch: Wodan) - Thursday for god of thunder Thor (Donar) and Friday for Mrs Wotan, Freya.

De dagen van de week The days of the week	maandag Monday	dinsdag Tuesday	woensdag Wednesday	donderdag Thursday	vrijdag Friday
	zaterdag Saturday	zondag Sunday
door de week [through the week] 'on weekdays' - in 't weekend 2 'in the weekend'

De maanden van het jaar The Months of the Year
januari January	februari February	maart March	april April	mei May	juni June
juli July	augustus August	september September	oktober October	november November	december December

De seizoenen The seasons

(de) winter Winter

(de) lente Spring - think of: 'Lent'

(de) zomer Summer

(de) herfst Fall, Autumn - think of: 'harvest'

Numbers

0 nul

1 één

2 twee

3 drie

4 vier

5 vijf

6 zes

7 zeven

8 acht

9 negen

10 tien

11 elf

12 twaalf

13 dertien

14 veertien

15 vijftien

16 zestien

17 zeventien

18 achttien

19 negentien

20 twintig

21 éénentwintig

100 honderd

200 tweehonderd

1000 duizend

1,000,000 miljoen (1.000.000) 2

1,000,000,000 miljard (1.000.000.000)

-1 min één

below zero onder nul

Time

(de) tijd 'time'

(de) klok 'clock'

(de) wekker 'alarm clock' - think of: 'to wake'

Hoe laat is het? [how late is it?] 'what is the time?'

(het) uur 'hour' uren 2 'hours'

(het) kwartier 'quarter, 15 minutes'

(de) minuut 'minuut' minuten 2 'minutes'

(de) seconde 'second' seconden 2 'seconds'

Drie uur		Half drie		Half vier		Kwart voor drie		Kwart over zes
Tien voor half drie /or/ Twintig over twee		Vijf voor drie		Vijf over drie		Twee voor twaalf		more time

The Human Body

(het) lichaam .

(het) lijf

lichaamsdelen

(het) hoofd head (het) voorhoofd 2 forehead, brow (de) rimpel 2 wrinkle (de) wenkbrauw 2 wenkbrauwen eyebrow eyebrows (het) oog eye (het) oor ear (de) neus nose (de) mond mouth (de) lippen lips (de) tanden (front) teeth (de) tong 2 tongue (de) kin chin	(de) borst breast borsten 2 3 breasts (het) hart heart (de) rib 2 rib longen lungs (de) maag stomach (de) lever liver (de) navel 2 navel, bellybutton (de) boezem 2 (de) buste 2 bosom, bust (de) nek neck (de) schouder shoulder (de) arm 2 arm (de) elleboog 2 elbow	(de) pols wrist think of: 'pulse' (de) hand hand (de) vinger finger >> (het) vingertopje 2 3 fingertip (de) duim thumb (de) nagel nail (de) heup hip (de) dij 2 thigh (de) knie knee (de) enkel ankle (de) hiel heel (de) voet voeten 2 foot feet (de) teen toe
(het) bloed blood (het) zweet 2 sweat tranen tears (het) haar hair (de) baard 2 beard	(de) pijn 'pain' (de) kramp 'cramp(s)' (de) verlamming 'paralysis' think of: 'lame'	(de) verslaving 'addiction' think of: 'slave' kanker 2 'cancer' (het) orgaan 2 organ *

Unrelated Words

(de) hersenen the brain (the organ) hersens "brains" (intelligence) (de) zenuw 'nerve' * kiezen back teeth, molars (de) wang cheek (het) gezicht 2 face (de) keel throat

darmen 2 bowels nieren 2 kidneys (de) rug back (de) ruggengraat backbone wervels disks, vertebrae (de) buik belly billen 2 buttocks

(het) been benen leg legs (de) kuit 2 calf (de) ader 2 vein (de) slagader 2 artery (de) huid skin (het) speeksel 2 saliva

The human (and horse) 'head' is (het) hoofd , while animals have a (de) kop . Likewise, humans (and horses) have benen 2 ('legs' - singular (het) been ) while animals (and tables and chairs) have poten - singular: (de) poot (think of: 'paw.')
Some books and websites will try to tell you that (het) been (irregular plural: beenderen) is the Dutch word for 'bone,' but it is really very old-fashioned. In modern Dutch, 'been' is only found as 'bone' in a few compound words like (het) soepbeen 2 ('soup bone') and (het) beenmerg 2 3 ('bone marrow.') As you've seen in the lines above, 'been' is the regular Dutch word for 'leg.' The common Dutch word for 'bone' is (het) bot - plural: botten Avoid learning-Dutch books and websites written by people who are not native speakers of Dutch.
(De) bek (animal) mouth, face (think of: 'beak')
As you've seen above (de) rug is your 'back' and (de) ruggengraat is 'backbone' ((de) graat is Dutch for 'fish bone') - (de) rugzak 2 is 'backpack' - think of 'rucksack.'
(De) strot 2 is a slang word for 'throat.'

Family and Relatives

Hij is familie van me - 'he is a relative [of mine.]'

(de) moeder mother (de) vader father (de) ouders parents (think of: 'elders')

(het) kind kinderen child children (de) dochter daughter (de) zoon son

(de) zus (het) zusje sister (de) broer brother

(de) tante aunt (de) nicht niece; female cousin (de) neef nephew; male cousin

(de) grootouders grandparents (de) grootmoeder grandmother (de) grootvader grandfather

kleinkinderen grandchildren

Unrelated Words		oom uncle		schoonmoeder mother-in-law		schoonvader father-in-law		schoondochter daughter-in-law		schoonzoon son-in-law		schoonzusje sister-in-law

'zwager'

Down on The Farm

(de) koe koeien cow cows (de) os ossen 2 ox oxen (het) schaap schapen 2 sheep (1) sheep (>1) (de) geit goat (de) gans / ganzen 2 goose/geese (de) bij bee

(de) melk milk (de) boter butter (het) vet fat, grease (de) kaas cheese (het) leer leather (de) wol wool (het) ei eieren egg eggs (de) honing 2 honey

(de) merrie 2 mare (het) veulen foal (de) kat cat (de) rat 2 rat (de) muis / muizen 2 mouse/mice (de) luis louse (de) vlo 2 flea (de) teek tick (de) wesp 2 wasp

(het) veld field (de) ploeg plow (de) trekker tractor	(het) zaad seed (het) graan 2 cereal, grain (de) rogge 2 rye (het) vlas 2 flax	(het) gras 2 grass (het) hooi hay (het) stro 2 straw
(het) fruit fruits (de) groente vegetables think: green	groente en fruit 2 produce (de) markt market	(de) trog 2 trough, manger (de) kluit 2 clod, lump of earth

Changed Meaning	varken 2 'pig' think of: 'pork'		big 'young pig' think of: 'pig'		stier 'bull' think of: 'steer'		(de) hond 'dog' think of: 'hound'		akker 'agriculture field' think of: 'acre'

(het) vlees 'meat' think of: 'flesh'

(de) haan 2 rooster - think of 'hen'

Unrelated Words	(het) paard 2 'horse'		(het) weiland 2 'meadow'		(de) oogst 'harvest'		(de) kip chicken kippen chickens

(de) boer farmer

(de) boerderij farm - also: farmhouse

(de) landbouw 2 (3) agriculture

(het) ijzeren ros .

More Animals

The Dutch general word for 'animal' is (het) dier (plural: dieren ) - it sounds very much like English 'deer.' My computer's dictionary says the root word of 'deer' meant any four-legged animal. (The Dutch word for our modern 'deer' is (het) hert - plural: herten 2.) The Dutch word for 'mammal' is (het) zoogdier ('suckling, mothermilk-fed animal.') The horse-donkey hybrid 'mule' is called (het) muildier 2 in Dutch. (het) stinkdier 2 3 'skunk'
(de) beer bear (de) wolf wolf (de) vos fox (de) haas hare (de) mol 2 mole (het) rendier 2 reindeer	(de) olifant elephant (de) giraf (Fr.) 2 giraffe (de) tijger tiger (het) luipaard leopard (de) jakhals 2 jackall	(het) insekt insect, bug (de) vlieg fly (de) spin spider (de) krekel 2 cricket (de) mot moth
(de) aap 2 'monkey' - think of: 'ape' - (de) mensaap 2 3 'ape, primate.' A large moth is called (de) nachtvlinder 2 ('butterfly of the night') - (de) vlinder is the common butterfly
(de) vis fish (de) haring herring >> (de) zalm 2 salmon mosselen 2 mussels	(de) karper 2 carp (de) brasem bream (de) baars 2 'bass, perch'	(de) dolfijn 2 dolphin (de) walvis whale (de) zwaardvis 2 swordfish (de) zeester 2 starfish
(de) vogel 2 plural: vogels 2 bird/birds - think of: 'fowl' Onze gevederde vrienden 2 'our feathered friends' - birds
(de) raaf raven 2 raven ravens (de) kraai 2 crow (de) havik 2 hawk (de) uil 2 owl (de) zwaluw swallow	(de) vink finch (de) goudvink 2 [gold-] bullfinch (de) nachtegaal 2 nightingale (de) leeuwerik 2 lark (de) fazant pheasant (de) duif 2 dove, pigeon	(de) koekoek 2 cuckoo (de) zwaan swan (de) buizerd 2 buzzard (de) kanarie 2 canary (de) parkiet 2 parakeet
(de) spreeuw 2 'starling' - think of: sparrow - (de) sperwer 2 'sparrowhawk' Some people in Amsterdam will call any small bird (de) vink ('finch') - or more likely (het) 'finkie' 2 The check mark V is sometimes also called vink.
(de) worm worm naakte slak 2 (de) slak [naked snail] slug snail	(de) salamander salamander (het) reptiel 2 reptile (de) amfibie 2 amphibian	(de) draak 2 3 dragon >>

Like English 'beast,' a wild, violent or ill-behaved animal or person can be called (het) beest (plural: beesten 2)
Wat is dat voor een beest? 2 3 4 What kind of (unpleasant) animal is that? (usually a large bug or a rodent) Hoe groter geest, hoe groter beest 2 3 4 'The greater the mind, the more like a beast' - great intellects often behave badly beestachtig 2 3 'like a beast' - beastly, terribly 't Is beestachtig koud 2 3 It's [beastly] terribly cold (het) beestje 2 'little animal' - usually an endearment for pets or pretty or useful insects
plural:  beestjes 2 3
(het) onzelieveheersbeestje 2 [our dear Lord's animal] - ladybug, ladybird
also:  lieveheersbeestjes ladybugs, ladybirds
Huisje boompje beestje 2 3 'a house, a tree, an animal' - 1950s ideal of owning a house with a garden (tree standing for yard) and having a pet

Also see and hear the farm animals in the chapter above, and my general animals pages.

Music

muziek maken to make music spelen to play (het) instrument 2 instrument (het) muziekinstrument musical instrument (de) piano piano (de) toetsen keys (not: lock keys) think of: 'touch' (het) pedaal 2 pedal (de) elektrische piano electric piano (het) orgel organ * (de) orgelpijp 2 organ pipe (het) elektronisch orgel 2 3 electronic organ (de) xylofoon xylophone (de) harp harp (de) luit lute (de) viool violin (het) strijkkwartet string quartet (de) bas bass (de) gitaar guitar (de) akoestische gitaar 2 acoustic guitar (de) elektrische gitaar electric guitar (de) gitaarsolo guitar solo (de) mandoline mandolin (de) banjo 2 banjo (de) fret fret

blazers 2 wind instrument players (blazen = 'to blow') (de) fluit flute (de) saxofoon 2 saxophone (de) klarinet clarinet (de) trompet trumpet (de) trombone trombone (de) tuba tuba (de) hobo oboe (de) trommel drum * (de) triangel triangle * (het) orkest 2 orchestra (het) koor choir zingen to sing (de) zangeres 2 lady singer (de) zanger male singer (de) zang vocals (de) sopraan soprano (de) alt 2 alto tenor tenor (de) bas bass vals off-pitch - think of: false

Barok Baroque Klassiek Classical Romantisch Romantic kamermuziek 2 chamber music (de) opera opera (de) wals waltz (de) mars march melodie melody (het) thema theme, figure (het) ritme rhythm (de) metronoom 2 metronome (het) akkoord chord * stereo stereo (sound) (de) echo 2 echo (de) tekst 2 lyrics think of: text lyrisch lyrical (de) toon 2 tone (de) microfoon microphone spelen to play (de) sessie session

(de) componist composer (de) dirigent conductor ("director") (de) sonate sonata (de) symfonie symphony (het) concert concert

(de) noot note * (de) halve noot 1/2 note (de) kwart noot 1/4 note (de) achtste noot 1/8 note (het) tempo tempo (het) octaaf octave (de) rust rest (de) dynamiek dynamics (de) harmonie harmony

majeur major mineur minor (het) interval interval dominant dominant consonant consonant * dissonant dissonant (de) leidtoon 2 leading tone diatonisch diatonic chromatisch chromatic

Ranks in The Military

soldaat korporaal 2 sergeant (Fr.)

luitenant kapitein 2 majoor 2

kolonel generaal 2 maarschalk 2

admiraal 2

Trees

(de) eik oak (de) beuk beech (de) berk 2 birch (de) es 2 ash

(de) els alder (de) populier poplar (de) linde linden

(de) wilg willow (de) treurwilg weeping willow (de) spar 2 spruce (de) ceder cedar

(de) kastanje chestnut (de) olm 2 elm (old-fashioned) (de) iep 2 elm (modern) (de) knoest knot (in wood)

Not Recognizable: The Sciences

Dutch independence came about at the time of the birth of modern science, and in patriotic language purism the Dutch made up names for the sciences that differ from those in most other European languages.

(de) wetenschap (de) wetenschapper 2 science scientist (de) wiskunde mathematics (de) natuurkunde physics (de) scheikunde chemistry >> (de) sterrenkunde 2 astronomy (de) plantkunde botany (de) geneeskunde medicine >> (de) aardrijkskunde geography

Most of these words are still in common use, only instead of geneeskunde ('medicine') most people nowadays say medicijnen 2.

Wordt Vervolgd To Be Continued >>

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Don't be a dief (thief) / dievegge (female thief) - diefstal (theft) - stelen (to steal) - heler (dealer in stolen goods) - hear Dutch - 2