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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
zo
|
very, a high degree of |
so | Dat is zo ouderwets!
![]() ![]() ![]() |
thàt | niet zo vaak
![]() ![]() ![]() | ||
such a, a very |
zo'n
![]() ![]() zo'n mooie dag ![]() ![]() ![]() - What I'd really like now is a cup of tea | ||
this way, that way |
We kunnen niet zo doorgaan
![]() ![]() ![]() | ||
in a moment, soon |
Ik kom zo bij U
![]() ![]() ![]() |
1. zo = so (very) | |
zo = thàt (very) | |
zo'n = such a, a very |
---|
|
zoveel = so much, so many | |
zulk = such | |
---|
2. zo = this/that way, like this/that | |
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|
zo-iets = such a thing, something like that | |
zo-iemand = such a person, someone like that |
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|
zoals, zo ... als, net zo ... als = like, as, just like, similar to, the way that |
---|
|
aldus, alzo = 'in this way' ('thusly') | |
also, too = ook | |
so (in conclusion) = dus | |
---|
3. zo = in a moment, soon | |
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Ik heb geen keelpijn of zo maar m'n stem die kraakt zo
I don't have a sore throat or something like that
but my voice is croaking badly
't Wordt zo vroeg donker
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It gets dark so early |
Dat is zo ouderwets!
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That's so old-fashioned! |
't Is zo voorspelbaar wat-ie doet
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It is so predictable what he does, his behavior is so predictable |
Ik was zò ziek
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I was so very sick |
Ik was zò kwaad
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I was so very angry |
Ik kan me d'r zò kwaad over maken
![]() |
It [can make] makes me so very angry |
Je lacht zo lief
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You [laugh] smile so sweetly |
Ik vind 't zo zielig
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[I think it's very pitiable] - I'm very sorry (for them, about it) |
Ik ben zo duf
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[I'm so very dense, dazed] - I don't feel very bright, I'm not fully aware, 'I'm out of it' |
Ik zou zo graag ...
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I would really like to ... (a great wish of mine is ...) |
Ik voel me zo vol
![]() |
I feel so full (having overeaten) |
Dat was niet zo leuk
![]() |
That was not very funny, that was bad |
Je geeft 't slechte weer zo mooi weer
![]() |
You [represent] depict the bad weather so beautifully |
Je geeft 't goede weer zo goed weer
![]() |
You [represent] portray the [good] beautiful weather [so] very well |
't Is niet zo overtuigend
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It's not very convincing |
't Is niet zo duur
![]() |
It's not that expensive |
't Is niet zò duur
![]() |
It's not thàt expensive |
Is 't al zò laat?
![]() |
Is it already that late? |
't Komt niet zo nauw
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It's not that [narrow] strict - it's flexible, there's a lot of leeway |
Doe niet zo stoer!
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[Don't act that bravely] - Don't pretend to be (that) brave |
Doe niet zo raar!
![]() |
[Don't act that weirdly] - try to be a regular person |
Niet zo goed
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Not that good (I'm feeling poorly) |
Niet zo vaak
![]() |
Not that often |
Zit niet zo te zeuren
![]() |
Now don't nag that much, Stop that horrible nagging (pointless complaining) |
Ik kan zo gauw
geen voorbeeld bedenken
![]() |
I can't think of an example [that] quickly, in the rush of things |
Toen ik z'n fiets optilde
begreep ik hoe hij zo hard kon rijden
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When I lifted up his bike I understood how he could ride that fast ->> |
Ik had me nog nooit zo ziek gevoeld
![]() |
I had never felt that sick before (literally: 'never yet' translated as: 'never before' ->>) |
Misschien was ik nooit zo slim
![]() |
Maybe I never was that clever |
This 'zo'
can also be found as
zo'n
2 - a contraction of
'zo een' ("zo 'n")
2
meaning 'such a' or 'a very'
- note that usually zo'n
sounds the same as zoon
('son') -
>>
but you can exaggerate and
insert a Dutch W:
zoown/zowun
2
3
4
zo'n mooie dag
![]() |
such a beautiful day |
zo'n sombere zomer
![]() |
such a dark, gloomy Summer |
Hij is zo'n goede kok
![]() |
He's such a good cook |
Ik heb zo'n zin in iets lekkers
![]() |
I have (such) a great craving for something tasty, something really nice (usually sweet) |
Ik heb zo'n zin
in een kopje thee
![]() |
['I have such a great desire for ...'] - What I'd really like now is a cup of tea |
't Zal wel
niet zo'n vaart lopen
![]() |
(saying) ['It's not going to pick up such a speed']- It won't happen soon (don't worry about it) |
'Zoveel'
2
3
4
(the stress can be either on 'veel' or on both 'zo'
and 'veel') is 'so much' or 'so many.'
It can be both an adjective or adverb and a noun ('so much, so many things')
Zoveel dingen om aan te denken
![]() |
So many things to think about, so many things to keep in mind |
Er is nog zoveel te doen
![]() |
There is still so much to do |
Ik heb al zoveel
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I already have so much (so many things, so much stuff) |
Er gaat altijd zoveel mis
![]() |
There are always so many things going wrong |
't Had zoveel mooier
kunnen zijn
![]() |
[It could have been so much more beautiful] - usually said when something disappoints or doesn't work out |
... omdat er zoveel te zien was
![]() |
... because there was so much to see |
Er wordt al zoveel gezegd
![]() |
So much is being said already |
Er is al zoveel gezegd
![]() |
So much has been said already ->> |
Zulke dingen als vrijheid, en gelijkheid
![]() |
Such things as freedom, and equality |
Zulke dingen als sterke drank
![]() |
Such things as [strong drink] liquor |
Zulke grote voeten!
![]() |
Such big feet! |
Zulke dingen gebeuren
![]() |
Such things, things like that happen |
't Is buiten zulk prachtig weer
![]() |
It's such wonderful weather outside |
't Is zulk mooi weer buiten
![]() |
It's such nice weather outside, It's so nice outside |
't Is overdag zulk mooi weer
![]() |
[It's such nice weather in the daytime] - In the daytime the weather is so nice |
We kunnen niet zo doorgaan
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We can't go on like this, We can't go on this way |
Er moet iets veranderen
![]() |
Something gotta change |
Ga zo voort!
![]() |
[Go on, continue like that] Carry on! |
Goed zo!
![]() |
1. you're doing well, you've done well
2. serves them right! the right comeuppance |
Veel mensen denken zo
![]() |
Many people think that way |
Zeg dat het niet zo is!
![]() |
Say it ain't so! |
Waarom is dat zo?
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Why is that so? Why is it that way? Why is it like that? |
Zo gaat 't altijd
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[It always goes ...] - It's always like this |
Zo te zien
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As I see it, From what I see, From my observation |
Zo is 't echt
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That's how it is in reality, It's really like that |
Ik weet niet of dat zo is
![]() |
[I don't know] I'm not sure (if) it's like that |
Ik weet niet of dat echt zo is
![]() |
[I don't know] I'm not sure (if) it's really like that |
't Lijkt maar zo
![]() |
It only looks that way, the reality is different |
Dat is ook zo
![]() |
[That what you're saying is also like that] - it is like that, that is also true, "you are right" |
't Mocht niet zo zijn
![]() |
It was not to be (something hoped-for sadly didn't happen) |
Zo doe je dat
![]() |
That's the way to do [that] it |
Zo is 't nou eenmaal
![]() |
That's how it is (you can't change it) |
Ik heb 't maar zo gelaten
![]() |
I left it like that (I didn't act to change or correct it) |
Dat zeg je niet zo
![]() |
You don't say (that) it that way That's not the (correct) way to say it |
Als ik het zo hoor ...
![]() |
Hearing this ... (I gather, understand) |
Dat is helemaal niet zo
![]() |
[That] It isn't like that at all |
Is dat nog steeds zo?
![]() |
Is [that] it still like that? |
Dat is zo
![]() |
It's like that, That is true, There is that |
Dat is wel zo, maar ...
![]() |
That is true, but ... There is that, but ... |
Zo werkt dat niet
![]() |
It doesn't 'work' that way |
Zo gaat 't ook
![]() |
This works too, you can do it this way too |
| |
zo-iets
![]() |
such a thing, something like that |
zo-iemand
![]() |
such a person, someone like that |
Hoe kan iemand zo-iets doen?
![]() |
How can someone do something like that? (it's beyond me) |
Heb je wel eens
zo-iets meegemaakt?
![]() |
Have you ever experienced such a thing? |
Je kunt zo-iemand
niet serieus nemen
![]() |
You can't take a person like that seriously |
'Zo'
meaning 'that way' or 'like that' is also found in a word
like
zoals
2
('like,' 'as,'
'similar to,' 'the way that') - and its split-up form
zo ... als
2
with an adverb in between. And also:
net ... als
2
('just like.')
See also the
'als' and
'net'
disambiguation pages.
Zoals 't klokje thuis tikt, tikt het nergens
![]() |
['There is no place where the clock ticks like at home'] 'Home sweet home' |
Zo oud als de weg naar Kralingen
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As old as the [road to K.] hills - Sayings |
Zo dood als een pier
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As dead as a [rainworm] doornail |
't Is niet zo erg als 't lijkt
![]() |
It's not as bad as it looks |
Ik ben niet meer zo slim als ik ooit was
![]() |
I'm no longer as clever [as I ever was] as I was in the past, as I used to be |
Hoe kan ik zo stom zijn?
![]() |
How can I be that stupid? (anger about a mistake) |
Zoals ik al zei ...
![]() |
[Like] As I already said, As I said before ... |
Mijn zoon is net zo mager als ik
![]() | My son is just as skinny as I am |
Hij is net zo slim als z'n moeder
![]() |
He's just as clever as his mom |
Dat is twee keer zo ver
![]() |
That's twice as far
('als' and the comparison item are left out) |
Zoals je weet
![]() |
As you know ..., like you know ... |
Another common phrase with
'zo' meaning 'as' is zo ... mogelijk
2
('as ... as possible') - but by itself, zo mogelijk ...
means 'if possible'
zo lang mogelijk
![]() |
as long as possible |
zo spoedig mogelijk
![]() |
as soon as possible |
zo weinig mogelijk
![]() |
as little as possible |
Old-fashioned words for this
'zo' meaning 'in this way' are
aldus
2
(think of 'thus' / 'thusly')
and 'alzo'
2
... en aldus geschiedde
![]() |
... and that's what happened |
Leer ons alzo onze dagen tellen
![]() |
So teach us to number our days (Ps 90:12) - Teach us to count our days this way |
Heeft U ook postzegels?
![]() |
Do you [have] sell stamps too? |
Er is beneden ook een slaapkamer
![]() |
There's also a bedroom downstairs, there's also a downstairs bedroom |
Dat staat ons ook te wachten
![]() |
That's also [waiting for, expected] going to happen to us, here |
Dat is ook goed
![]() |
That's also good, that's OK too |
Dat zou je ook kunnen doen
![]() |
You could do that too, it's OK to do that instead |
Je kunt ook een blikje
opentrekken
![]() |
You [can also] could [rip open] open a can - you could use canned |
Denk je ook niet dat ...
![]() |
Aren't you also thinking that ... |
Toen ik jouw leeftijd was had ik er ook
veel last van
![]() |
When I was your age it also bothered me a lot, I had a lot of trouble with it too |
De vochtigheid heeft er ook mee te maken
![]() |
The humidity is also involved in it |
Ik weet 't ook niet
![]() |
I also don't know (it) - I don't know either |
... maar 't is ook niet bijzonder
![]() |
... but it's also not very special (less successful cooking, art) |
... maar 't was ook niet geweldig
![]() |
... but it was also not great, it wasn't great either (less successful cooking, art) |
Misschien heeft 't daar
ook mee te maken
![]() |
Maybe it has to do with that too |
Wat je ook doet ...
![]() |
Whatever you do ... (it doesn't make a difference, it's hopeless) |
English 'so' can also mean drawing a
conclusion, something like 'I gather, I get the impression, in
conclusion, I understand.' This is said in Dutch as
dus
- "So you want to be a rock 'n' roll star?"
|
![]() fietspad ![]() |
Occasionally, English 'so' is said as 'het' ('it') in Dutch:
Omdat ik het zeg
2
3
4
Because I say [it] so
(an authoritarian statement)
Al zeg ik 't zelf
2
3
[Even if I say so myself] - If I may say so
Tot zo!
![]() |
['Till in a moment'] - See you soon! |
We gaan zo eten
![]() |
We'll eat (have dinner or lunch) in a moment |
Ik ben zo klaar
![]() |
I'll be ready (done) in a moment |
Ik kom zo bij U
![]() |
I'll [come to you] be with you in a minute |
Zullen we zo gaan?
![]() |
Shall we go (leave) in a moment? |
Ik ga er zo mee beginnen
![]() |
I'll start on it soon, in a moment (but also said when endlessly postponing) |
Dat zie je zo
![]() |
[You see that in an instant] - You notice that right away |
zodra
![]() |
as soon as |
zodra we klaar zijn
![]() |
as soon as we're ready, right away when we're ready |
zodra 't licht wordt
![]() |
as soon as it gets light |
See and Hear also: Hurry, Haste and Urgency in the Time Thesaurus
Dutch Vocabulary Overview - Dutch Grammar Overview - Listen to and Read Dutch
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