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Meten = to Measure, Take Measurements

'Meten' click to hear 'to measure, take measurements' is a strong verb:
meten
to measure
- mat
measured
- gemeten
measured
click to hear
Like almost all strong verbs with an A in the past tense, that A is 'short' in the singular, but 'long' in the plural
Wij maten click to hear we measured

meten to measure
ik meet I'm measuring
wij meten we're measuring
ik mat I measured
wij maten we measured
ik heb gemeten I have measured
click to hear

ik meet click to hear 2 I'm measuring
wij maten click to hear we measured

(de) meting click to hear 2 3 1. measurement 2. taking a measurement
(de) afmetingen click to hear 2 dimensions, measurements, size - more below
numbers - smartphone
(de) meter click to hear meter (~3 feet, ~39¼ inches)
Recommended: The Metric System
Metric and Imperial Compared

Meten is weten click to hear 2 3 4 ['to measure is to know'] - measurements create, build knowledge - thank you, Gabriel Met twee maten meten click to hear 2 'Using two measuring systems (yardsticks)' - applying double standards, a biased approach

English 'to meet (people)' is elkaar ontmoeten click to hear 2 3 - (de) ontmoeting click to hear 2 encounter, meeting ‑>>

(de) schat click to hear 2 is 'treasure,' and some people use it to address loved ones, "dear, darling." The plural is schatten click to hear ('treasures,') like in bodemschatten click to hear 2 ('mineral resources' - mining)
schatten click to hear can also be a verb meaning 'to estimate,' roughly calculate or judge size, value number etc., 'to measure by looking'
Ik kan 't niet goed schatten click to hear 2 I can't estimate it very well, I can't make a good estimate of it Je moet 't niet onderschatten click to hear 2 3 [You shouldn't ...] - Do not underestimate it

ongeveer click to hear about, roughly, approximately
ongeveer veertig euro click to hear about forty euro
om ongeveer vier uur click to hear at about 4 o'clock
rond click to hear around // round, circular ‑>>
rond vier uur click to hear at about four o'clock
ruwweg click to hear roughly

afronden click to hear 2 3 to round up/down (to the nearest convenient number) naar boven afronden click to hear 2 3 4 to round up (a number) naar beneden afronden click to hear 2 3 4 to round down (a number) - numbers

precies click to hear 2 precise, exact, exactly
(de) precisie click to hear 2 precision
Precies op tijd click to hear 2 3 Exactly on time
Om acht uur precies click to hear 2 At eight o'clock exactly, At eight sharp
't Past precies click to hear 2 3 It's a snug fit, it fits exactly
more precies

 Meten = to Measure, Take Measurements (above) 
  Pictorial 
 Maat = Size // Measure (Music) // Comrade 
 Grootte = Size - afmetingen = Dimensions 

Groot = Large; Big; Tall; Great ‑>> Klein = Small, Little ‑>>

Lang = Long, Tall ‑>> Kort = Short ‑>>

 Breed, wijd = Wide 
 Smal, nauw = Narrow 

 Hoog = High 
 Laag = Low 
 Diep = Deep 

  Dik = Fat, Thick - Dun, Mager = Thin, Skinny, Slender 
 more 

[measuring tapes]
rolmaten click to hear
[folding ruler]
duimstokken click to hear
[Vernier caliper]
(de) schuifmaat click to hear
[precision measuring part of Vernier caliper]
(de) nonius click to hear
[rulers]
linialen click to hear
[(sewing, tailor's) tape measure]
(de) centimeter click to hear
[measuring cups]
maatbekers click to hear

[measuring spoons]
maatlepeltjes click to hear
[measuring glasses]
maatglazen click to hear

[scale]
(de) weegschaal click to hear
[scale]
(de) weegschaal
[bathroom scale]
weegschaal click to hear
[bathroom scale]
weegschaal click to hear
[thermometer]
(de) thermometer click to hear
[thermometers]
thermometers click to hear 2
‑>>
[curvometer]
(de) curvimeter click to hear
curvometer
[barometer]
(de) barometer click to hear 2
Ride the wheel of the curvometer on a map to measure distances
(de) snelheidsmeter click to hear 2 speedometer
(de) diameter click to hear 2 diameter

Maat = Size // Measure (Music) // Comrade

(de) maat click to hear 2 1. size (clothes, shoes) - numbers - smartphone
2. measure, time (music) ‑>>
3. comrade, buddy
plural:  maten click to hear measurements // measures // comrades

(mate click to hear 2)
met mate click to hear in moderation
mate van click to hear level of, degree

(de) maatregel click to hear measure (action taken) - ‑>>
(de) maatschappij click to hear corporation // society, community

(het) materiaal click to hear 2 material
(het) bewijsmateriaal click to hear 2 evidence, proof
(het) vergelijkingsmateriaal click to hear 2 3 material for comparison, reference material ‑>>

't Irriteert me mateloos click to hear 2 It annoys me beyond measure - I'm very annoyed by it met twee maten meten click to hear 2 'Using two measuring systems (yardsticks)' - applying double standards, a biased approach Alles met mate click to hear Everything in moderation drinken met mate click to hear drink (alcohol) [with] in moderation (de) driekwartsmaat click to hear three-four (3/4) time - more Music Jan Rap en z'n maat click to hear ['John "Wastewood" and his comrade'] 'Bad people, punks'

Grootte = Size - afmetingen = Dimensions

(de) grootte click to hear size 'grootte' sounds the same as  'grote' click to hear 2 (large)  - groot-te, gro-te ‑>> afmetingen click to hear 2 dimensions, measurements, size
(de) omvang click to hear 2 extent, scope
(de) hoeveelheid click to hear amount - irregular plural:  hoeveelheden click to hear 2 amounts grote hoeveelheden click to hear 2 3 4 large amounts
een redelijke hoeveelheid click to hear 2 3 a reasonable, fair, rather large amount

groot click to hear 2 3 4 5
large; big; tall; great
‑>>
klein click to hear 2 3 4 5
small, little
‑>>

(de) lengte click to hear 2 length
lang click to hear long, tall ‑>>
kort click to hear short ‑>>
(de) breedte click to hear width
breed click to hear wide ↓↓ wijd click to hear wide ↓↓
smal click to hear narrow ↓↓   nauw click to hear 2 3 narrow ↓↓
(de) hoogte click to hear 2 height
hoog click to hear 2 3 high ↓↓
laag click to hear 2 3 4 low ↓↓

(de) diepte click to hear 2 depth
diep click to hear 2 deep ↓↓
ondiep click to hear 2
(de) dikte click to hear 2 thickness
dik click to hear fat, thick ↓↓
dun click to hear thin, slender ↓↓
mager click to hear thin, skinny ↓↓
(het) gewicht click to hear weight
licht click to hear light, 'low weight' ‑>>
zwaar click to hear heavy
(de) afstand click to hear distance dichtbij click to
    hear close by ver click to hear 2 3 far / ver weg click to hear 2 3 far away ‑>>

The Dutch word (de) dimensie click to hear 2 3 does not mean 'size' or 'measurements' like the English plural 'dimensions.' It's a mostly scientific term, for instance about defining locations in space: length, breadth and heigth. The fourth dimension de vierde dimensie click to hear 2 3 has to with time (if I understand it correctly.)

(de) doorsnede click to hear 2
['cross-cut'] 'diameter
(de) diameter click to hear
diameter
(de) straal click to hear
radius (circle)
(de) meter click to hear 'm'  is about a yard, 3⅓ feet, 40 inches
Metric and Imperial Values Compared
The Metric System Explained
(de) millimeter click to hear
1mm = 1/1000 m

(de) centimeter click to hear
1cm = 1/100 m

((de) decimeter click to hear)
(1dm = 1/10 m)

(de) meter click to hear
m

(de) kilometer click to hear
1km = 1000m
(het) oppervlak click to hear 2 area (de) oppervlakte click to hear 2 area m²   "vierkante meter" click to hear square meter
(het) volume click to hear volume (de) inhoud click to hear volume // contents cm³ "kubieke centimeter" click to hear
(de) liter click to hear (about a quart, 4 cups) is a cube of 10cm x 10cm x 10 cm (10 cm is about 4 inches)
(de) milliliter click to hear is a cube of with sides of 1 centimeter (1 cm is about 2/5th of an inch)
(de) milliliter click to hear = cc click to hear = cm³ "kubieke centimeter" click to hear = 1/1000 of a liter
(de) eetlepel click to hear 'Tablespoon' - 15ml
(de) theelepel click to hear 'teaspoon' - the American and English teaspoon is 5ml, the Dutch teaspoon is 3ml

(het) gewicht click to hear weight - (de) massa click to hear 2 mass
(Layman's explanation, not scientific:)
(het) gram click to hear is the weight of a cubic centimeter, a milliliter of water (at 4°C, 1 bar pressure)
(het) kilogram click to hear 2 = (de/het) kilo click to hear 2 is the weight of a liter of water (at 4°C, 1 bar pressure)

milligram click to hear 2
1mg = 1/1000 g
gram click to hear
g
(het) kilogram click to hear 2
1 kg = 1000 g
= (de/het) kilo click to hear 2 ton click to hear
1 ton = 1000 kilograms

Numbers - smartphone version

In Dutch, the units of measure are usually in the singular (except a few in time)
1 meter, 2 meter click to hear 2 - 1 liter, 2 liter click to hear 2 - 1 kilo, 2 kilo click to hear 2 - 500 gram click to hear 2

[an old kilogram weight]
(het) gewicht click to hear
(het) pond click to hear (500 grams, about 1 pound)
(het) ons click to hear 2 (100 grams, about 3 ounces)
Though widely used in shops, pond  and ons  are not official weights.
Een ons ham click to hear 2 3 100 grams, about 3 ounces of ham Een pond kaas click to hear 2 500 grams, about a pound of cheese Elk pondje gaat door 't mondje click to hear 'Every pound passes through the mouth' - dieting slogan

Metric and Imperial Values Compared
The Metric System Explained

Units of Measure and the Plural
The Dutch units of measure are rarely used in the plural, except some in time.
1 Meter, 2 meter click to hear 2 1 liter, 2 liter click to hear 2 1 kilo, 2 kilo click to hear 2 500 gram click to hear 2
The time units ending in -R (het) kwartier click to hear ('quarter, 15 minutes') - (het) uur click to hear ('hour') and (het) jaar click to hear ('year') are often used as both singular and plural; the regular plurals are uren click to hear 2 and jaren click to hear - kwartier click to hear as '15 minutes' does not have a plural. 'Quarter' as '25 cents' is (het) kwartje click to hear
Drie kwartier click to hear ('[3 quarters] 45 minutes') - vier uur click to hear ('4 hours') - vijf jaar click to hear 2 ('5 years')
The other Dutch 'time' units, like (de) dag / dagen click to hear ('day') are always used in the plural when the number is more than 1.
Week click to hear 2 / weken click to hear 2 ('week') - maand click to hear / maanden click to hear 2 ('month')
minuut click to hear / minuten click to hear 2 ('minute') - seconde click to hear 2 / seconden click to hear 2 - secondes click to hear 2 ('second, 1/60th of a minute')
Zes dagen click to hear ('6 days') - twee weken click to hear 2 ('2 weeks')
- drie maanden click to hear 2 ('3 months') - vijf minuten click to hear 2 ('5 minutes')
Drie seconden click to hear 2 ('3 seconds') - according to my dictionary, drie secondes click to hear is also good, but I don't like it.
(de) lente click to hear ('Spring') - twintig lentes jong click to hear 2 ('twenty springtimes young' - said by slimeballs about young women)
When the statement is purely about the amount, the measurement, almost all units of measurement are used in the singular form:
dertig kilometer per uur click to hear ('30 kilometers an hour')
Twee jaar van m'n leven click to hear 2 ('2 years of my life')
Tien jaar geleden click to hear ('10 years ago')
Vier uur per dag click to hear 2 ('4 hours a day')
Tien minuten per uur click to hear 2 3 ('10 minutes each hour')
Twee gulden per stuk click to heary ('2 guilders each, 2 guilders for each item')
But when the statement is about the units of measurement themselves (and it's about more than one) they are used in the plural form:
drie kilometer lang click to hear 2 ('3 kilometers long') - drie lange kilometers click to hear 2 ('3 long kilometers')
drie jaar geleden click to hear 2 ('three years ago') - drie jaar lang click to hear 2 ('for three years') - drie lange jaren click to hear ('three long years')
drie dagen geleden click to hear 2 ('three days ago') - drie dagen lang click to hear ('for three days') - drie lange dagen click to hear ('three long days')
On a smaller scale, English still has this unexpected use of the singular in phrases like 'twenty-dollar bill' or 'nine-pound hammer.'

Breed, wijd = Wide

breed click to hear (brede click to hear 2 - breed / brede click to hear 2) wide

(de) breedte click to hear width

de Brede Weg click to hear 2 Broadway - in Dutch New York
(de) Breedstraat click to hear a street name
De rivier was te breed om over te zwemmen click to hear 2 3 The river was too wide to swim across hemelsbreed click to hear 2 1. distance measured as a straight line, 'as a bird flies,' not measured as roads distance
2. very large, enormous

wijd click to hear (wijde click to hear 2 - wijd / wijde click to hear 2) - 'wide' is less common
evenwijdig click to hear / evenwijdige click to hear 2 [equal-width] - parallel
(de) reikwijdte click to hear 2 'reach,' extent
(de) Wijde Wormer click to hear a 1626 polder
Wereldwijde week van de veiligheid click to hear 2 [World-wide] 'Global safety week' - a company slogan I thought up wijd en zijd click to hear 2 far and wide

Smal, nauw = Narrow

smal click to hear 2 (smalle click to hear - smal / smalle click to hear) narrow
'n smalle deur click to hear 2 3 a narrow door
smal / smaller / smalst click to hear 2 narrow / more narrow / most narrow
Holland op z'n smalst click to hear 2 'Holland at its most narrow'
- in Dutch,
  'Holland' click to hear 2 means only a part of the country of The Netherlands - more. Before the great land reclamations, there used to be a narrow strip of land North-West of Amsterdam connecting two parts of the county of Holland. Later, the expression came to mean 'Dutchmen in their most narrow-minded attitude.'
English 'small, little' is klein click to hear 2 3 4 5 ‑>>

nauw click to hear 2 3 (nauwe click to hear 2) narrow
nauwe pijpen click to hear 2 3 narrow pant legs, 'skinny pants' 't Komt niet zo nauw click to hear 2 'There is no need for much precision or strictness, there is a lot of leeway, a wide margin' (de) speling click to hear 2 margin, 'give'
Het Nauw van Calais click to hear 2 The Narrows of Calais, The Straits of Dover benauwd click to hear 2 (benauwde click to hear - benauwd / benauwde click to hear) difficulty breathing // afraid, anxious // stuffy (room) nauwelijks click to hear 2 barely, almost no, narrowly ‑>>
nauwkeurig click to hear careful, precise

strak click to hear 2 (strakke click to hear) tight-fitting (clothes)
strakke kleren click to hear 2 tight-fitting clothes
'n strak truitje click to hear 2 3 a tight top
strakke gezichten click to hear 2 set, stony faces, not showing emotion, not reacting

Hoog = High

hoog click to hear 2 3 (hoge click to hear hoog/hoge click to hear) high
hoger click to hear higher
hoogste click to hear 2 3 highest

(de) hoogte click to hear 2 height

hoge kosten click to hear 2 3 high cost[s] (de) hoge snelheid click to hear 2 3 4 high speed met hoge snelheid click to hear 2 at high speed (de) hoge vlucht click to hear 2 boom, expansion (great success, rapid growth) Ik heb hoge koorts click to hear I have a high fever geen hoge verwachtingen click to hear 2 3 no [high] great expectations een hoge katterug click to hear a cat's [high] arched back hoge schoenen click to hear 2 3 ['high shoes'] (laced) boots, ankle boots Hoge bomen vangen veel wind click to hear ['Tall trees catch much wind'] - The high, mighty and famous catch much flak, get a lot of criticism Veel vraag en weinig aanbod betekent hoge prijzen click to hear 2 [Much] High demand and [little] low supply means high prices

(het) hogedrukgebied click to hear 2 3 high-pressure area
(de) hogeschool click to hear 2 ~college // one-field university (engineering or agriculture) (de) landbouwhogeschool click to hear 2 3 4 agriculture college and university

hoogstens click to hear 2 at most
't Is hoogstens een uur werk click to hear 2 It's at most an hour of work\
minstens click to hear 2 at least ‑>>

(het) hoogtepunt click to hear 2 3 high point, 'zenith'
(de) hoogtevrees click to hear 2 fear of heights
hooghartig click to hear 2 arrogant, 'haughty'
uit de hoogte click to hear 2 3 4 5 'from a height' - arrogantly, feeling superior, 'haughty' ‑>> 'Hoogachtend, ...' click to hear 2 'Yours Truly, ...' - traditional ending of formal letter (de) hoogleraar click to hear 2 formal job title of a professor
"professor" click to hear
(de) hoogspanning click to hear 2 high [tension] voltage ‑>>
(de) hoogspanningsmast click to hear power pylon
huizenhoog click to hear 2 3 4 [high as houses] - very high, usually figuratively

omhoog click to hear 2 3 up, upwards We klommen omhoog click to hear We climbed up ‑>>

hoogste tijd click to hear high time, very urgent 't Is hoog tijd click to hear 2 It's high time (action is urgent) hoogst zelden click to hear 2 [highest seldom] very rarely, almost never hoogstwaarschijnlijk click to hear 2 most likely ‑>>

hoogtijdagen click to hear 2 ['Days of high tide'] - heyday, the high point, prime, 'when they were at their best'
((de) vloed click to hear 'flow, high tide'

Laag = Low

laag click to hear 2 3 4 (lage click to hear laag/lage click to hear 2) low lager click to hear lower

op een laag pitje click to hear [on a low burner] on the back burner - something given low priority, not pursued vigorously We waren vergeten de verwarming laag te zetten click to hear 2 We had forgotten to turn the heater [low] down de lucht hangt er laag en de zon wordt er langzaam in grijze veelkleurige dampen gesmoord, the sky is low and slowly the sun is smothered in a multicolored grey haze, - Marsman (de) lage prijs click to hear 2 3 4 low price Een lage olieprijs betekent minder elektrische auto's click to hear 2 A low oil price means fewer electric cars lage snelheden click to hear 2 3 low speeds

(de) lagere school click to hear 2 [lower] elementary school Hij zit op de lagere school click to hear 2 3 He's in elementary school

omlaag click to hear 2 down, downwards We gleden omlaag click to hear 2 We slid down ‑>>

(de) laag click to hear 2 3 4 layer
plural:  lagen click to hear 2 layers
(het) laagje click to hear 2 thin layer

de laag erboven click to hear 2 the layer above vier lagen verf click to hear 4 layers of paint (de) hinderlaag click to hear 2 ambush
lagen leggen click to hear to prepare (figurative) ambushes listen en lagen click to hear 2 3 tricks and traps, ambushes (de) nederlaag click to hear defeat

wij lagen click to hear we were lying down Ze lagen te slapen click to hear They were sleeping

Diep = Deep

Diep click to hear 2 (diepe click to hear - diep / diepe click to hear) 'deep'
ondiep click to hear 2 ['undeep'] - shallow, not deep (literally)
't diepe click to hear 'the deep' - the deep part of a swimming pool

(de) diepte click to hear 2 'depth'

diepgang click to hear 2 'depth' 1. literally: draught (how deep is a ship in the water?)
2. figuratively: profundity, ~seriousness
diepgaand click to hear 2 3 in-depth, profound, thorough diepzinnig click to hear 2 [deep-thinking] - profound diepvries click to hear 2 3 freezer (het) dieptepunt click to hear 2 low point, lowest point, 'nadir,' 'rock bottom'

diep ademhalen click to hear breathe deep
Haal diep adem click to hear 2 Take a deep breath -or- take deep breaths Doe het brood in de diepvries click to hear 2 3 Put the bread in the freezer Uit 't diepst van m'n hart click to hear 2 'From the [deepest] bottom of my heart'

(de) verdieping click to hear 'floor,' storey
plural: verdiepingen click to hear 2 'floors' ‑>>
(1e) eerste verdieping click to hear (2nd) second floor (2e) tweede verdieping click to hear 2 (3rd) third floor (de) begane grond click to hear (1st) first (ground) floor de verdieping eronder click to hear 2 the floor [under it] below

Dik = Fat, Thick - Dun, Mager = Thin, Skinny, Slender

dik click to hear (dikke click to hear 2 - dik / dikke click to hear 2 3) fat, heavy, plump, big // thick - a layer or a liquid can be 'thick'
Dutch 'dik'  is of course from the same root as English 'thick, but English has lost (or did not acquire) the 'big, fat' meaning

(de) dikte click to hear 2 - [thickness] width, depth, girth (fatness)

'door dik en dun' click to hear 'through thick and thin'
Ik word te dik click to hear 2 3 I'm getting [too] fat
De dikke en de dunne click to hear 2 'the fat one and the skinny one' - Laurel & Hardy een dik boek click to hear 2 3 a big, fat book dikke bomen click to hear 2 3 trees with big, fat trunks dikke banden click to hear 2 3 fat tires (bicycles) de dikke darm click to hear 2 3 [the big, fat bowel] - the large intestine Van dik hout zaagt men planken click to hear 2 3 (saying) Boards are sawn from big wood - said of a task performed very well and also royally, generously amply, with extras "dikke kans!" click to hear 2 a good chance // "fat chance!" (ironic, meaning: zero chance!) (de) dikdoener click to hear [(fat) big-doer, person pretending to be important] - big-mouth

Is het ijs dik genoeg? click to hear 2 3 4 Is the ice thick enough? ‑>> een dikke huid hebben click to hear 2 3 (saying) [having a thick skin, being thick-skinned] - not very sensitive to criticism and insults

dikke soep click to hear 2 thick soup koffiedik kijken click to hear 2 3 [looking at coffee dregs, wet coffee grounds] - 'reading tea leaves' - to foretell, predicting the future

dikke vrienden click to hear 2 3 best friends, fast friends 't Is dik aan click to hear 2 (slang) [It's on thick] - They're deeply in love, they're very much attracted to each other

(het) vet click to hear fat, grease - Nutritional Values
vetten click to hear fats
vet click to hear fat, greasy

dun click to hear (dunne click to hear 2 - dun / dunne click to hear 2) - thin, skinny
'door dik en dun' click to hear 'through thick and thin'
De dikke en de dunne click to hear 2 the fat one and the skinny one' - Laurel & Hardy dunne banden click to hear 2 thin tires (bicycle) de dunne darm click to hear 2 3 [the thin bowel] - the small intestine een dun laagje sneeuw click to hear 2 3 a thin layer of snow

dunne saus click to hear 2 3 thin sauce verdunnen click to hear 2 3 to dilute

mager click to hear (magere click to hear 2 - mager / magere click to hear 2) skinny, 'thin' - think of: 'meager' M'n zoon is net zo mager als ik click to hear My son is just as skinny as I broodmager click to hear very skinny (only eating bread?)
magere melk click to hear 2 ['skinny'] nonfat, skim milk
een mager zonnetje click to hear 2 a pale, powerless sun
Magere Hein click to hear 'Skinny Henry' - the Grim Reaper

more

gemiddeld click to hear 2 (gemiddelde click to hear 2) average gigantisch click to hear 2 gigantic, very large
de gigantische explosie click to hear 2 3 the vast explosion (de) reus click to hear giant
reusachtig click to hear 2 gigantic, very large
de reusachtige ontploffing click to hear 2 3 the vast explosion geweldig click to hear can mean 'very large, tremendous,' but also 'great!' - "I'm happy about that!" een geweldige ontploffing click to hear 2 3 a tremendous explosion een geweldig lawaai click to hear 2 3 a tremendous noise, a greate amount of noise een geweldig concert click to hear 2 3 a great, fantastic concert (de) dwerg click to hear dwarf
minuscuul click to hear 2 3 minuscule
(het) detail (French) click to hear detail
naar verhouding click to hear 2 in proportion, comparatively, relatively

email - Copyright © Marco Schuffelen 2023. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, redistributed, or hotlinked to.
Gij zult niet stelen click to hear 'Thou shalt not steal'