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Disambiguation: Many common words can have more than one meaning, with different translations

List of Prepositions and Other 'Little Words' — Pages: - 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

Aan - On, At, To, Of, For, In, From, By, About

'aan'

'aandacht besteden aan' 2

betalen

besteden 2

Aan = On

(de IJssel is a river in the East of the country - this town is on a small stream by the same name in the West of the country)

Aan de ene kant ... 2 3 On the one [side] hand ... ... aan de andere kant 2 ... on the other hand But also: Aan de kant! 2 3 4 To the side! Out of the way! Ik ben aan de beterende hand 2 I'm [on the [hand] side of] getting better (I was sick but now my health is improving) aan de andere kant van de muur on the other side of the wall aan de overkant 2 3 on the other side, on the opposite site (of the water, for instance)

Alle hens aan dek! 2 3 'All hands on deck'  Dutchified English phrase: 'All crew to stations'

(Het is ) boter aan de galg (saying) ['It's butter on the gallows'] - something valuable wasted, a useless effort

"Spiegeltje, spiegeltje aan de wand, wie is de mooiste in het land?" 'Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the prettiest [in the land] of them all?' ‑>> een foto aan de muur a picture on the wall

Lag ik maar aan het strand! 2 If only I was lying on the beach! ~ I wish I was at the beach

Zet je de vuilnisbak aan de straat? Will you put the garbage can [on the street] on the curb, to the side of the street?

Harder werken aan Nederlands leren Work harder on learning Dutch

tijd besteden aan 2 3 4 spending time on Ik besteed veel tijd aan m'n website 2 3 I'm spending a lot of time (working) on my website
More besteden 2 'to spend' - below

Aan de lopende band 2 (saying) '[Like] on the assembly line, like coming off a conveyor belt' - ceaselessly, continually (said for instance of someone producing an endless series of jokes)

'Beginnen aan' 2 3 is 'to start on,' and by extension 'getting into' - more beginning
Ik begin er vast aan 2 I'm already starting on it Hij weet niet waar-die aan begint 2 3 4 He doesn't know what he's [starting on] getting into Was ik er maar nooit aan begonnen 2 3 4 I wish I'd never started on it, I wish I'd never gotten into this

'Wijten aan' 2 3 is 'to blame on' indicating a cause, assigning responsibility - more
Wij weten 't aan 't weer We blamed [it on] the weather

'Aan' 'on' can be about things like lights, machines and appliances that are 'on' - and here its opposite is 'uit' 2 ('off') - for instance:
(de) aan/uit knop 2 on/off switch, power switch

'Aan' and 'uit' in this and other meanings can be combined with various verbs like
zijn 'to be' ‑>> to 'aan zijn'  2
and staan 'to stand, to be' ‑>> to 'aanstaan'  2 3
- lights, machines and appliances 'are on.'
The opposite, 'be off' is 'uit zijn'
Is de ijskast weer aan? Is the fridge on again? de ijskast is aan fridge is on, is running de ijskast staat aan the fridge is on, is running (Ik) denk dat de ijskast toch weer aanstaat I think the fridge is on (again) after all, I'm afraid the fridge is on 't Licht is uit 2 3 The light is off De verwarming is uit 2 The heater is off De verwarming is de hele nacht aan geweest 2 The heater has been on all night We waren vergeten de verwarming laag te zetten 2 We had forgotten to turn the heater down 'zetten' 'to set, put' - see  below
We waren vergeten 'm laag te zetten 2 We had forgotten to turn it down We waren vergeten 'm uit te zetten We had forgotten to turn it off 't Licht is de hele nacht aan geweest 2 The light has been on all night We waren vergeten 't uit te doen We had forgotten to turn it off 'Aandoen 2 and 'uitdoen' 2 3 can mean 'to turn on or off' lights, mechanisms or machinery - more below

The correct word for (electric) 'refrigerator' is (de) koelkast ‑>> - but (de) ijskast is more common - it's a word from the time that ice companies delivered large blocks of ice that were put in insulated boxes, the refrigerators of the 19th Century.
de ijskast!

'Aan zijn'  2 and its opposite 'uit zijn'  can also refer to romantic relationships:
't Is dik aan 2 (slang) [It's on thick] - They're deeply in love, they're very much attracted to each other Is 't uit tussen Jan en Klazien? 2 3 Is it over between Jan en Klazien? (Is the relationship over?) ‑>>

'Aandoen 2 can mean 'to turn on' lights, mechanisms or machinery, but it can also mean 'to put on clothes, footwear and things like that.'
The opposite 'uitdoen' 2 3 means 'turning off' lights and mechanisms etc., and also 'taking off' clothes etc. - more ‑>>

(de) aan/uit knop 2 on/off switch, power switch Doe 't licht aan 2 3 Turn on the light Doe het licht uit 2 Turn off the light Doe de verwarming aan 2 Turn on the heater (de) centrale verwarming central heating
Doe je het licht uit als je weggaat? [Will you ...?] Please turn off the light(s) when you leave Toen ik het licht aandeed sloegen de stoppen door When I turned on the light the fuses blew

Doe laarzen aan 2 3 Put on boots Doe je jas uit 2 3 Take off your coat

Alles uit behalve de radio! Take off and turn off everything except the radio

Another common meaning of 'aandoen' is 'to cause grief or trouble.'
Wat doe je me aan! 2 [What are you doing to me!] - You're causing me much grief Dat kun je me niet aandoen! 2 3 You can't do that to me! (You're going to hurt my feelings) aandoenlijk 2 'touching,' endearing, affecting een aandoenlijke vertelling 2 3 an affecting narrative, a moving, gripping story

'Zetten' means something like 'to set, put, move to a place or position ‑>>
'aanzetten' 2 is 'to turn on, start up' - though it can also mean stuff accumulating, literally on a surface, like 'to cake' - but also figuaratively to stick, catch
uitzetten is 'to turn off, shut down'

Ik zette de radio aan 2 3 I turned on the radio 't Zet niet aan 2 ~It doesn't contribute, ~~It doesn't help We waren vergeten 'm uit te zetten We had forgotten to turn it off

'aangaan'  2 3 and its opposite 'uitgaan'  2 3 are usually about electric lights or appliances being turned on and off 'automatically' or by interference
Het licht ging aan The light came on Gaat de ijskast aan? Is the fridge turning on? Hè, de ijskast gaat aan Bummer, the fridge is turning on Toen het donker werd ging het licht aan When it got dark the light turned on Toen de bliksem insloeg ging het licht uit 2 When lightning hit the light went out Toen het licht uitging zag ik de sterren 2 When the light went out I saw the stars ‑>>

But 'niet aangaan' 2 3 and 'niets aangaan' usually mean 'none of your business, no concern of yours'
't Gaat me niet aan
't Gaat me niets aan 2 It's none of my business, I shouldn't meddle 't Gaat je niets aan It's none of your business, stay out of it!

'Aan hebben'  2 3 refers to clothes and/or shoes a person is wearing, 'has on'
Ik heb geen schoenen aan 2 3 4 I don't have shoes on Ze heeft niks aan 2 She has nothing on, she's not dressed Op sommige stranden heeft niemand wat aan 2 3 4 On some beaches, nobody is wearing anything

'Houden' 2 is something like 'to hold, to keep' ‑>> It's often found as 'houden van' 'to like, to love' ‑>>
'Aanhouden' 2 3 can mean police or other authorities stopping and detaining people, but usually it means 'to keep on,' like not taking off clothes etc., or to continue what you're doing, 'continue against adversity, persevere, sustain'
Hou(d) je schoenen aan 2 3 Keep your shoes on De aanhouder wint (saying) He/she who perseveres will win, succeed The opposite of that last meaning is 'opgeven' 2 3 to give up, ceasing to make an effort
Ik geef 't op 2 3 4 5 I give [it] up

Wat heb ik nou aan m'n fiets hangen? 2 3 4 (saying) ['What do I have hanging on my bike, what's hanging from my bike?'] - expression of surprise at a strange situation you find yourself in Ik hang 't niet aan de grote klok 2 (saying) ['I'm not hanging it on the big bell'] - I'm keeping quiet about it, ~I'm not shouting it from the rooftops

Aan de hand 2 is something like 'going on'

Wat is er aan de hand?	What's going on?
Wat is hier aan de hand?	What's going on here?
Wat is er hier aan de hand? 2	What's going on here? ‑>>
Er is wat aan de hand 2	There is something going on
Er is niks aan de hand 2	There is nothing going on, nothing wrong, 'nothing to see here'
Wat is er eigenlijk aan de hand? 2 3	What is actually going on? (It's not obvious, maybe it's not what it looks like) ‑>>
Wat is er toch aan de hand? 2 3	What's going on? I don't get it
Wat zou er aan de hand zijn? 2 3	What could be happening? (wondering about a distant sound or mystery)
But: (already seen above)
Ik ben aan de beterende hand 2	I'm getting better, my health is improving (after you've been sick)

Aan = To

Aan de kant! 2 3 4 To the side! Get out of the way! Er zit een luchtje aan 2 (saying) ['There's a funny smell to it'] - 'there's something fishy about it'

Aan alles komt een eind 2 There's an end to everything (nothing lasts forever) Er komt geen eind aan 2 There is no end to it - more endings

De laatste hand leggen aan ... (saying) [Laying the last hand to ...] - Applying the final touch to ...

(iets) overlaten aan leaving (something) to Laat het aan de vakman over Leave it to the professionals (Dutch uses the singular 'professional') Mensen aan hun lot overlaten 2 3 4 Leave people to their fate (not helping them)

Je kunt er geen touw aan vastknopen 2 (saying) ['you can't tie a rope to it'] 'it's incomprehensible' - expression meaning 'it's impossible to understand' or 'it doesn't make sense' -- there's no entry point where you could try to start understanding (het) aanknopingspunt 2 3 clue, lead, point to start studying, investigating, discussing or understanding

vastmaken aan 2 3 to (firmly and physically) connect, attach to

Breng het aan de kook 2 3 Bring it to a boil aan de kook brengen to bring to a boil

'Aan'  is often used with 'geven' 2 3 'to give' ‑>> and other verbs about transfer, someone receiving something
See also: The Indirect Object - smartphone version

Bob geeft het aan Els 2 Bob gives it to Alice

Jan geeft een boek aan Piet Jan gives a book to Piet Jan heeft een boek aan Piet gegeven 2 Jan has given a book to Piet But you can also say:
Jan geeft Piet een boek Jan gives Piet a book Jan heeft Piet een boek gegeven Jan has given Piet a book

Ik heb gisteren in Assen een cadeau aan Piet gegeven 2 Yesterday in Assen I gave Piet a present Geef de bloemen aan Marietje Give the flowers to Marietje Geef de bloemen aan haar Give the flowers to her Ik geef bloemen aan Marietje I'm giving flowers to Marietje Hij gaf een cadeau aan Jo He gave a present to Jo Hij zei dat ik het aan Jan moest geven He said that I should give it to Jan, he said to give it to Jan De pijp aan Maarten geven 2 (saying) ['give] Hand the pipe to Maarten' - to pass away, die Geef eraan! 2 3 Give, donate to it

"Neem hem het talent af en geef het aan hem die er tien heeft!" Take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags
((Matthew 25:28 The Parable of The Talents - BibleGateway translation)

Ik schreef een brief aan m'n moeder I wrote a letter to my mother Ik liet de brief aan Jan zien 2 3 I showed the letter to John
Actually, in both English and Dutch this can mean 'I showed a certain letter (from someone else) to Jan' and 'I showed the letter to Jan to someone'

Ergens iets aan hebben 2 3 something is useful, you can use it ‑>> The phrase 'iets hebben aan' 2 3 is used when something is useful to someone:
Ik heb er niks aan 2 3 4 5 It's not useful to me, it's of no use to me Daar heeft niemand wat aan 2 3 4 [That's of use to nobody] - That's of no use to anyone Maar als ik heel snel praat, daar heeft niemand wat aan slow But if I speak very quickly, that's not of use to anybody Wat heb je eraan? 2 3 [What is its use to you?] - Is it useful to you? Wat heb je d'r aan? 2 [What is its use to you?] - Is it useful to you? (a D is inserted because the pause in 'je-er' takes more energy)
Heb je er wat aan? 2 3 4 5 Is it of (any) use to you, is it useful to you? Heb je d'r wat aan? 2 Is it of use to you? Is it useful to you?

Ergens 'iets aan vinden' means liking (and things like that) a piece of entertainment like a play or a movie, a book or a piece of music. It's usually in the negative:
Ik vind er niks aan ['I find nothing in it'] - I don't care for it, it's not interesting to me Ik vond er niet veel aan ['I did not find much in it'] - I didn't care for it, it was not interesting to me' Also:  Er is niks aan 2 3 1. It's not interesting, there is nothing in it
2. It's very simple, easy to solve, 'there's nothing to it'

'Hechten' is 'to attach, make fast, close,'
zich hechten aan 2 to become emotionally attached to Ben je eraan gehecht? 2 [Have you become] Are you (emotionally) attached to it? (de) hechting suture, medical stitch ‑>>
plural: hechtingen 2 3
Ik lag in een deuk 2 I was in stitches, laughing uncontrollably

'Getting used to' trouble, bother and inconvenience is wennen aan 2 3 or just wennen - more
Ik ben eraan gewend 2 3 4 5 I've gotten used to it, I'm used to it Ik kan er moeilijk aan wennen 2 I have difficulty getting used to it

(de) aandacht 2 attention
from 'denken' 2 to think ‑>>
aandacht voor details attention to details aandacht besteden aan 2 to [spend] pay attention to Besteed geen aandacht aan het geld Don't pay attention to the money Besteed geen aandacht aan details Don't pay attention to details Besteed geen aandacht aan de kritiek 2 3 Don't pay attention to the criticism Besteed nog geen aandacht aan de details 2 Don't pay attention to the details yet, for now ignore the details

geld besteden aan 2 3 to spend money on Besteed er geen geld aan! 2 3 Don't spend money on it! Je kunt er een boel geld aan besteden 2 You can spend a lot of money on it geld uitgeven aan 2 to spend money on Je kunt er een boel geld aan uitgeven You can spend a lot of money on it

See also

tijd besteden aan spending time on - above

Aan = At

Hij zit aan de grond 2 3 (saying) ['he sits, he is at the ground' - 'he's stuck at the lowest level'] - 'he's down and out' - out of options because no money

Aan = Of

gebrek aan lack of
gebrek aan fantasie 2 3 lack of imagination een vitamine D-gebrek a vitamin-D deficiency Een tekort aan vitamine-D 2 3 a vitamin-D deficiency Er is soms een tekort aan tomaten - tomatentekort Sometimes there's a shortage of tomatoes - tomatoes shortage bij gebrek aan beter [due to lack of [something] better] - lacking a better alternative een teveel aan informatie 2 an overabundance, overload of information

Elke dag heeft genoeg aan z'n eigen leed Each day has enough suffering of its own

Hij is aan kanker gestorven 2 3 He died of cancer

Daar kun je je geen buil aan vallen
Je kunt je d'r geen buil aan vallen (saying) ['You're not going to fall and get a bump of it'] 'it's not a significant amount of money' - often said to people who are deliberating about a small expense

een wereld aan boeken 2 a world of books, a lot of books

een hekel hebben aan 2 to dislike strongly, detest, loathe Ik heb een hekel aan roddelen I have a great dislike of gossip, I really dislike gossip Als ik ergens een hekel aan heb is het aan leugens 2 3 If there is [something] one thing that I hate it is lies Als ik ergens een hekel aan heb is het aan mensen die liegen 2 If there is [something] one thing that I hate it is people that tell lies

'Denken' 2 is 'to think' ‑>>
'denken aan' 2 3 is translated as 'thinking of' - 'taking into account,' 'pay attention to, bear in mind, keep in mind' or a thought association

Denkend aan Holland zie ik brede rivieren traag door oneindig laagland gaan When I think of Holland I see wide rivers flow slowly in boundless lowlands
Henk Marsman - complete poem Ik zat te denken aan ... I was thinking of ... - The Continuous Ik zit te denken aan een cadeau I'm thinking of a present Waar denk je aan? What are you thinking of? 't Deed me denken aan een boek ... 2 It made me think of a book ... 't Doet me denken aan een boek van Mulisch 2 It makes me think of a book by Mulisch

Daar had ik niet aan gedacht 2 3 I had not thought of that, I had forgotten about that, I did not take that into account Daar had ik even niet aan gedacht 2 3 It had slipped my mind for a moment Daar had je aan moeten denken 2 (3 4) You should have thought of that Ik moet er niet aan denken 2 I shouldn't think of it, I don't want to think of it, I shudder when I think of it, it makes me afraid
Denk eraan ... 2 Think of ..., Bear in mind ... Denk eraan dat de zomertijd dit weekend ingaat Bear in mind that the [summer time] daylight saving time starts this weekend Zoveel dingen om aan te denken! 2 So many things to think of, keep in mind! Ik denk er vaak aan 2 3 I often think of it (a memory) Ik denk vaak aan je I often think of you (with affection) Daar dacht ik pas later aan 2
Daar dacht ik later pas aan 2 I only thought of that later, afterwards 'Opletten' 2 3 and 'letten op' 2 3 are a slightly different 'paying attention to, to check' ‑>>
- see also: aandacht above

But: (het) aandenken 2 'souvenir' - something to make you remember

Herinneren aan 2 3 is 'to remind' someone of something, to make sure they won't forget
Ik herinnerde hem aan de afspraak I reminded him of the agreement, that there was an agreement Ik herinnerde hem aan z'n belofte 2 I reminded him of [his] the promise he had made ('Promising' in the sense of 'having potential' is veelbelovend 2 3 4 ‑>> )
Ik wil er niet aan herinnerd worden 2 3 4 I don't want to be reminded of it, I don't want that memory to come up Herinner me eraan 2 3 Remind me of it, remind me to ... (Zich herinneren is 'to remember' ‑>>)

kind aan huis 2 (saying) (like a) child of the house Hij is er kind aan huis 2 3 [he is like a child of that house] - 'he often visits and acts as if he lives there'

Aan = for

de behoefte aan warmte 2 3 the need for warmth (heat) de behoefte aan rust 2 3 the need for quiet, rest

't Is niet aan ons om te oordelen 2 3 4 It's not for (up to) us to judge

Aan = In, Into

Geen wolkje aan de lucht 2 (saying) [Not a cloud in the sky] No problems are expected

werk hebben aan 2 3 you need to put work, effort into something Je hebt er een hoop werk aan 2 3 [You're putting a lot of work into it] There is a lot of work in it for you

Aan = From

Ze lijden aan geheugenverlies 2 'They are suffering from memory loss' - usually said when people ignore inconvenient history

Aan = By

'Kennen'  is 'to know' and
'herkennen'  is to recognize ['to know again'] - more
Ik herkende hem aan z'n stem 2 I recognized him by his voice "Aan de vruchten kent men de boom" 2 'By its fruit the tree is known' (Proverbs 9:17) ‑>>

zich ergeren aan 2 3 4 to be annoyed by (at, with) ‑>> Ik erger me aan z'n houding 2 3 4 I'm annoyed by his attitude Ik erger me aan de buren 2 3 4 I'm annoyed by the neighbors One can also be annoyed 'at' or 'with' (in English)

Aan = About

iets doen aan to do something about something, to take action to remedy ergens iets aan doen 2 3 to do something about something, to take action to remedy Je moet er wat aan doen 2 3 4 You have to do something about it We moeten er wat aan doen 2 We should do something about it Er is niks aan te doen ['there is nothing to be done (about it)'] - 'nothing can be done about it, it can't be helped' short: Niks aan te doen! 2 3
Er is toch niks aan te doen 2 3 Nothing can be done about it anyway Kun je er wat aan doen? 2 3 Can you do something about it? Wat kun je d'r aan doen? 2 3 4 What can you do about it? "Die achterop doet er niks aan!" 2 3 The one in back is not helping (a common call to tandem bicycle riders) Ik kan er niks aan doen ['I can't do anything about it']
1. 'I can't help it,'
2. I can't fix it

No Preposition in English

Ligt 't aan mij? 2 Is it me?
1.Is it my fault? Am I the problem?
2. Am I the only one who sees or feels it like this?

Vraag 't aan een expert 2 3 Ask an expert, a specialist (about it)

A Few Compound Words with 'Aan'

zich aanstellen 2 to behave in an exaggerated manner, usually childish, somewhat out of touch with reality
Stel je niet aan! 2 Don't exaggerate, don't be childish (patronizing) Hij stelt zich aan 2 He's exaggerating, behaving like a child kinderachtig 2 childish

'Aanbreken'  2 3 is 'to begin, start' or 'to begin with, start on'
De dag breekt aan The day begins - more beginnings Bij 't krieken van de dag At daybreak Breek 't niet aan 2 3 4 5 Don't start on it, don't open it (food or snacks packages)

Above, we've seen geven 2 3 'to give' with aan - but the compound verb aangeven 2 is the slightly different 'to hand, pass,' put something into someone else's hands. It can also mean 'to indicate, signal' and 'to register,' file an official report.

Geef 't aan 2 3	1. Hand it to me 2. Mark it, indicate it 3. Report it to the police
richting aangeven 2 3	to indicate, signal (change of) direction (in traffic)
Je moet 't goed aangeven 2 3	You'll have to indicate it [well] clearly
toonaangevend 2	[setting the tone] - trend-setting, prominent, leading
Hij ging de geboorte aangeven 2	He went to register the birth

(De) aanval 2 is 'attack' and 'Aanvallen' 2 is 'to attack'
Ik val aan - volg mij I am attacking - follow me - ascribed to Rear Admiral Karel Doorman at the Battle of the Java Sea, 1942, his last message - but it may have been just a flag signal Een aanval vanuit een land is een aanval door dat land An attack from a country is an attack by that country

hartaanval 2	heart attack
astma-aanval 2 3	asthma attack
woede-aanval	[attack of anger] fit of rage
- more	vallen ‑>>

The opposite of 'aanvallen' is verdedigen 'to defend' or zich verdedigen 2 3 'to defend oneself'
See also: Reflexive Verbs and Military

aantrekken 2 3 is literally 'pull towards you' or 'to attract' like in the adjective aantrekkelijk ('attractive') but it can also mean 'putting on clothes or shoes' and 'zich niets/niks aantrekken van' means 'not care, not mind, not bother about'

De stoute schoenen aantrekken 2 3 (saying) ['putting on the brave shoes'] - 'doing something bold' Trek de stoute schoenen aan 2 3 (saying) ['put on the brave shoes'] - 'be brave, do that bold thing'

Ik trek me er niks van aan 2 3 4
Ik trek me d'r niks van aan 2 3 ~It doesn't bother me, I dont't pay attention ot it, I don't care Trek je er niks van aan 2 Don't pay attention ot it, don't let it bother you, don't get upset over it Trek 't je niet aan 2 3 4 Don't get upset over it, don't pay attention to it, don't let it bother you

Zich nergens iets van aantrekken 2 3 4 5 Not be concerned about anything, just doing, 'not give a damn'

'Aanspreken' can mean 'to address, start talking to someone' (sometimes challenging) or it can mean 'to appeal, touch your feelings'

Ik sprak hem aan 2 3 I addressed him, I started speaking to him, I challenged him t Spreekt me niet aan [It doesn't speak to me] - It doesn't appeal to me
(a little stronger and more polite than: 't Zegt me niks 2 [It says nothing to me] It doesn't appeal to me /or/ it's meaningless to me
- Zeggen 'to say' (de) wettelijke aansprakelijkheid 2 legal liability
Ik hou(d) je verantwoordelijk 2 3 I hold you responsible, you are liable aanspraak maken op 2 laying (a) claim to

'aanwakkeren' (said of wind) becoming stronger
De wind wakkert aan The wind is becoming stronger 'Wakker' otherwise means 'awake' - See also: Sleep

People say raak! 2 when a target is hit with an object or in a verbal attack, something like 'touché.' It's from the verb 'raken' 2 'to hit, to touch'

Hij is op de Noordpool in moeilijkheden geraakt 2 3 4	He [hit trouble] ran into trouble on the North Pole
aanraken 2	to touch
(de) aanraking	touch
Raak het niet aan! 2	Don't touch it!
Raak niks aan! 2 3	[Touch nothing] - Do not touch anything!
aanraken met een stok	touching with a stick (pole?)
met een stok aanraken 2	touching with a stick (pole?)
zonder iets aan te raken 2 3 4	without touching anything
afblijven 2 3 4	stay away from, do not touch, do not take ‑>>
aankomen 2	1. to arrive 2. to gain weight 3. to touch
Kom er niet aan! 2	Don't touch it!
Kom nergens aan! 2 3	[Touch nothing] - Don't touch anything!

We komen om vier uur aan 2 3	We'll arrive at four o'clock
Ze kwamen tegelijk aan 2	They arrived at the same time
De winter komt eraan 2	Winter is coming
(de) aankomst 2	arrival ‑>>

'Raden' 2 3 usually means 'to guess, estimate' but an old-fashioned meaning is 'to counsel'
'aanraden' means 'to recommend'
Wat zou U aanraden? 2 3 4 5 What would you recommend?

'Bevelen' 2 is 'to command, to order,' like an officer telling soldiers what to do, and (het) bevel is an order like that, but
(de) aanbeveling is 'recommendation'

'Voelen' 2 is 'to feel' ‑>>
'aanvoelen' 2 3 'to sense,' to notice non-verbally, intuitively
Dat voel je goed aan You have a good sense of it (understanding the subconscious signals) Dat voel ik aan 2 I know that instinctively, it's something I sense (like one's native language) Ik voel het aan 2 3 I have an intuitive understanding of it

'Aanbieden' is 'to offer, make an offer' - its root verb bieden can be 'to offer,' but also stronger: 'to present' or 'to make available,' and it can also mean 'to bid' like in an auction, a game or a competition for an order. Bieden is a strong verb:

bieden to offer

-

bood offered

-

geboden offered

(het) bod 2	bid, offer
(het) aanbod	1. offer 2. supply
(de) aanbieding 2	1. offer 2. on-sale item, 'special offer'

Ze boden hulp aan	They offered help, assistance
Ze boden weerstand 2 3	They offered resistance, they resisted

verboden toegang

'Passen' 2 is 'to fit' and 'passend' is 'fitting'
aanpassen 2 3 1. to adapt 2. to try on (clothes)
(de) aanpassing adaptation
Je moet 't aanpassen 2 3 4 1. You'll have to adapt it
2. You should try it on (a clothing item)

'Leiden' is 'to lead' ‑>>
naar aanleiding van 2 3 in reaction to, in response to (de) aanleiding 'occasion,' 'reason,' 'trigger event'
The classic example of a 'trigger event' is the assassination in Sarajewo. The First World War had been brewing for years and for many reasons, but started in the Summer of 1914 because of the murder of the Austrian crown prince. 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 2 3 4 The trigger event [of] that set off the First World War

aankunnen op 2 3 to count on, to rely on (you can trust it)
Je kunt erop aan 2 You can count on it Also: Je kunt ervan opaan 2 3 You can count on it

iets aankunnen 2 3 to be able to deal with, manage something Kun je het aan? 2 Are you up to it?

'Toe zijn aan' can have several meanings about situations:
Dat is nog tot daaraan toe 2 3 ~that's borderline acceptable (but the next or other thing really goes too far) 'Ergens aan toe zijn' 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 2 3 4 5 'He's sick and tired of work and is ready to retire Ik ben er nog niet aan toe 2 I have no great need of it yet, I'm not ready for it yet Ik ben aan vakantie toe 2 3 I need a break like a vacation from work (or school) Ik ben er hard aan toe 2 I really, urgently want that (break) But 'weten waar je aan toe bent' 2 3 means 'to know "where you stand," what to expect'
Dan weet je waar je aan toe bent 2 Then you'll know 'where you stand,' what you can expect And 'er slecht aan toe zijn' 2 3 means 'not doing well, to be in a bad state medically'
Hij is er slecht aan toe 2 3 4 He's not doing well, he's in a bad shape medically - more 'toe'

(De) beurt is usually a person's 'turn' in a game (or in a line)
'Aan de beurt zijn' means it's the subject's turn
Less common is (de) beurt as a treatment like a cleaning or an overhaul

Wie is er aan de beurt?	Whose turn is it? Who's Next?
Ben ik aan de beurt?	Is it my turn?
Is hij aan de beurt? 2 3 4	Is it his turn?
Jij bent aan de beurt	It's your turn, you are on
Het is jouw beurt 2 3	It's your turn
Daarna ben jij aan de beurt 2 3	After that it's your turn
ik ben	[I am] it's my turn (in a game)
jij bent 2	[you are] it's your turn (in a game)
zij is	[she is] it's her turn (in a game)
In chess, you'd rather say: Wie is aan zet? 2 3 4	Whose turn is it?
Hij wachtte geduldig op z'n beurt 2 3	He waited patiently for his turn
een goede beurt 2	a thorough cleaning, a serious overhaul etc.

"Aan 't" 2 with a verb infinitive and sometimes a noun is like a continuous telling what you're doing at the moment

Wat ben je aan 't doen?	What are you doing, what are you busy with?
Wat ik aan 't doen ben 2 3	What I'm doing, what I'm busy with, what I'm working on
Ik ben aan 't winkelen 2	I am shopping
Ik was aan 't winkelen	I was shopping
Ik ben aan 't koken	I am cooking, preparing hot food
Ik ben een brood aan 't bakken 2	I am baking (a) bread
Ik ben aan 't opnemen 2 3	I am recording (sound)
Laten we aan 't werk gaan 2 3 4	Let's start working,l Let's get to work
Aan 't werk! 2 3 4 5 6	to work! get busy!
aan 't schrijven 2 3	writing

Usually, (de) gang means 'corridor, hallway' but 'aan de gang' 2 3 4 means 'get busy with' - it's a form of the verb gaan ('to go') ‑>>

Ik moet met 't eten aan de gang 2 3	I have to start cooking or preparing food
Ik ga er gelijk mee aan de gang	I'll start on it right away
aan de gang! 2	Let's start on it! Let's get going! Get busy!
aan de slag! 2	to work! get busy!

Hij timmert aardig aan de weg 2 3 (saying) He is well-known for his activities, his activities have made him rather well-known - 'He's rather successful'
- 'aan de weg' means 'in public' here
- 'timmeren' 2 usually means 'to hammer' or more generally 'to do carpentry' ‑>> - 2

'Betalen is 'to pay' ‑>> and (de) betaling 2 is 'payment'
(de) aanbetaling 2 is 'down payment'

klagen is 'to complain' and (de) klacht is 'complaint'
(de) aanklacht 2 3 4 'indictment, official complaint or accusation'
aanklagen 2 3 'to bring charges'
('to accuse' is beschuldigen 2 3 4 ‑>>)

'Vullen' 2 is 'to fill'
(de) aanvulling is 'addition, supplement'

'Trouwen' 2 3 is 'to marry' ‑>>
aangetrouwd 2 3 [married into] '~a relative by marriage'
een aangetrouwd nichtje 2 3 "a niece-in-law"
(het) aanzoek 'marriage proposal'

'Nemen' is 'to take' ‑>>
aannemen 2 to assume // to adopt // to take on
(de) aanname 2 assumption
(de) aannemer 2 contractor, construction manager ‑>>
(het) aangenomen kind adopted child ‑>>
But: aangenaam 2 (aangename 2 3 4) pleasant, comfortable
onaangenaam 2 3 4 unpleasant, uncomfortable
Aangenaam kennis te maken! 2 3 Pleased to meet you! (somewhat formal, but I'm not aware of another phrase like it) 'n aangename temperatuur a pleasant, comfortable temperature

'Grijpen' is 'to grab, catch' ('grip') ‑>>
aangrijpend 2 touching, moving - 'gripping' your feelings

lopen 2 is 'to walk' ‑>>
(de) aanloop 'run before a jump, run-up' - also 'running up, starting up period'

'Tonen' 2 3 4 is 'to show'
'aantonen' 2 is 'to prove'
The more common word for 'to show' is laten zien 2 ['to let see'] ‑>> and 'proof, evidence' is (het) bewijs 2 ‑>>
vertonen to display

'Wezen' 2 is an old form of the verb 'zijn' 'to be' ‑>>
aanwezig (aanwezige 2) 'present, in attendance, here!'

'Van' 2 is 'from' ‑>>
'Vandaan' 2 is 'from' - point of departure or origin - often with komen 'to come' ‑>>
Waar vandaan? 2 3 Where from? Waar kom je vandaan? 2 3 Where are you from?
1. From where did you travel? ‑>>
2. Where are you from originally? ‑>> De plaats waar ik vandaan kom The place where I'm from, my home town ‑>> Waar komt die rotzooi toch vandaan? 2 3 4 Where in the world does all that garbage come from?

aanzienlijk 2 3 considerable, large
een aanzienlijk bedrag 2 3 a considerable sum (money) niet onaanzienlijke bedragen 2 3 not insignificant amounts of money, no trifling sums

'Bellen' 2 3 is usually 'to call, use the telephone,' but it can also mean to ring, sound a (door or signal) bell
aanbellen - to ring a doorbell
Ik belde aan bij de buren 2 3 I rang the doorbell at the neighbors' Er is iemand aan de deur There's someone at the door (de) bel bell (door, signal)
(de) klok (church) bell
klok luiden to ring a (church) bell (or bells)

(het) aanrecht 'kitchen countertop' ‑>>
(het) aambeeld - anvil (also aanbeeld)
(de) aanslag 1. assault 2. touch (on keyboard, musical instrument)
(het) aantal quantity, amount in numbers ‑>>
aangenaam 2 (aangename 2 3 4) pleasant, comfortable
(het) aandeel 2 portion, part, share, contribution
 plural: aandelen 2 shares, stock
(de) aansteker lighter (fire) ‑>>
aanstekelijk 2 3 contagious, infectious
besmettelijk infectious (diseases) ‑>>
aanstaande 2 3 4 this coming (day)
aanstaande vrijdag 2 3 this (coming) Friday
aanvankelijk 2 at first, originally
(het) aanhalingsteken quote mark ‑>>
 plural: aanhalingstekens

(De) aanstoot 2 is 'offense, feeling insulted'
Aanstoot wordt genomen, niet gegeven 2 3 Offense is taken, not given

(de) aandrang 2 3 urge
aandringen op 2 3 to urge, press, insist on ergens op aandringen 2 to urge, press for something Ze drongen aan op spoed 2 3 they urged hurry, to be quick See also: dringen

Ik heb even de eeuwigheid mogen aanschouwen 2 3 [I have been allowed for a moment to view eternity] - I was allowed a brief glimpse of eternity

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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