Military

de / het / 't de het 't

(the)

een, 'n

(a)

één

(one)

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ranks - Basic Words - Additional Words - schieten - 'krijg' - strijd - vechten - verzet - weerstand

(Het) leger 'army' - (de) marine 'navy' - (de) luchtmacht 2 'air force'
(de) genie (French G) 2 ('the army corps of engineers')
(de) marechaussee 2 ('military police')
De Koninklijke Landmacht 2 3 ['the Royal Land Force(s)'] - official name of the Dutch Army
militair 1. 'military' (adj.) 2. 'a member of the military'
(de) officier 2 - (de) onderofficier 2 'non-commissioned officer, subaltern'
Many of the ranks (rangen - singular: (de) rang 2) look so alike in writing that they don't need translation - but most do not sound very similar to English.

soldaat korporaal 2 sergeant (Fr.)

luitenant kapitein 2 majoor 2

kolonel generaal 2 maarschalk 2

matroos sailor schout-bij-nacht rear admiral admiraal 2

tank (English) (WWII American Sherman Tank, Bastogne, Belgium)

kanon

granaathuls 2

luchtbescherming 2 (medaille 2)

From the Basic Dutch pages

(de) oorlog war (de) vrede peace (het) leger army		(het) gevaar danger (de) aanval attack (de) verdediging defense		(de) slag battle (de) overwinning victory (de) nederlaag defeat		(de) bezetting occupation (het) verzet resistance (de) bevrijding liberation
(het) geweld violence (de) kracht force (de) macht power		(het) gevecht fight (de) vernietiging destruction (de) schade damage (de) vlucht flight, escape		(het) geweer rifle (het) pistool handgun (het) kanon cannon, big gun (de) bom bomb		(de) basis base (de) eenheid unit (de) operatie action, operation (het) bevel order, command

Additional Words

(de) wapenstilstand * 2 (het) staakt-het-vuren * 2 ceasefire (de) onderhandelingen 2 negotiations (het) bestand truce (de) overgave surrender (het) verdrag 2 treaty

(het) kruit (het) buskruit gunpowder (de) explosie explosion (de) springstof 2 explosive (de) atoombom kernwapens 2 (de) splijtstof 2 atom bomb nuclear arms fissile material

(de) handgranaat 2 hand grenade (de) mortier 2 mortar (de) mijn 2 (de) landmijn mine land mine (de) raket raketten 2 rocket rockets (het) beleg siege

(de) kogel 2 bullet (de) revolver 2 revolver (het) machingeweer 2 (de) mitrailleur 2 machine gun (de) loop 2 gunbarrel (het) gifgas poison gas

(de) mariniers 2 marines (de) scherpschutter 2 sniper, sharpshooter (de) schildwacht 2 sentry (de) lijfwacht 2 bodyguard

(de) loopgraaf 2 trench (WWI) (de) bunker 2 bunker, blockhouse (het) bolwerk 2 3 stronghold, bastion, 'bulwark' (de) schuilkelder 2 [shelter-cellar] bomb shelter (civilian) (de) kazerne 2 'barracks,' military housing

(de) helm helmet (het) uniform uniform (het) pantser armor (German: 'Panzer') (de) rupsband 2 caterpillar tread (like a tank)

(de) piloot pilot (het) gevechtsvliegtuig fighter plane (de) straaljager 2 jet fighter (de) helikopter helicopter

(de) bommenwerper 2 bomber (plane) (het) bombardement 2 bombing, bombardment (het) luchtalarm 2 air raid alarm, siren (het) luchtafweergeschut 2 anti-aircraft battery, flak

(het) vliegdekschip 2 aircraft carrier (het) slagschip battleship

(de) duikboot (de) onderzeeër submarine

(het) gebied 2 area (het) grondgebied 2 territory (het) terrein 2 terrain (de) kaart 2 3 map (de) strategie 2 strategy (de) tactiek 2 tactics (de) voorhoede 2 3 vanguard (de) achterhoede 2 rearguard

' (de) staatsgreep coup (de) opstand 2 uprising, revolt, rebellion (de) revolutie 2 revolution see also below (de) burgeroorlog 2 civil war (de) bondgenoten 2 allies (de) vijand 2 (de) aartsvijand 2 enemy archenemy

(de) beroepsmilitair 2 professional soldier (de) krijgsgevangene 2 prisoner of war (de) spion 2 spionnen 2 spy spies (de) verrader traitor (de) vluchteling 2 refugee

(de) dienstplicht 2	draft, obligatory military service, conscription
(de) diensttijd 2	the time spent in the military as a conscript (note that TT is pronounced as a single T ("diens-tijd") and not doubled with a pause in-between)
(de) militaire dienst	mandatory military service, serving in the military as a conscript
(de) dienstweigeraar 2	[draft-refuser] conscientious objector - weigeren 2 ('to refuse') - weigering 2 ('refusal')
(de) eenzijdige ontwapening	one-sided, unilateral disarmament
(de) staat van beleg 2	state of siege (martial law has been declared)
(de) noodtoestand	state of siege; emergency situation;
Het leger greep in 2	The army (the military) intervened, took action
De marechaussee werd ingezet 2 3 4	The military police was deployed, put into action
(het) huzarenstukje 2	['a hussars' act'] a daring small-scale military action
(de) held 2	'hero' - heldhaftig 2 3 'heroic'
De onbekende soldaat 2	The unknown soldier
De Oude Garde	The Old Guard
(de) strijd 2	struggle - (het) strijdperk 2 3 battleground, area of fighting
oorlogszuchtig 2 3	['craving war'] 'warlike'
vredelievend	['peace-loving'] 'peaceful, peaceable'
(de) revolutie 2	revolution - the usage is different from English. I think in Dutch it's an internal affair. We say:
de Franse Revolutie	the French Revolution - but:
de Amerikaanse Vrijheidsoorlog 2	the American Revolution - ("war of liberation")
de Tachtigjarige Oorlog 2 3	('the 80-years war' - 1568-1648) - the Dutch Revolt
de opstand van de gewone mensen 2 3 4	the revolt of the common people - see also above
Het Twaalfjarig Bestand 2 3	The 12-year Truce (1609-1621)
De Zesdaagse Oorlog 2	The Six-Day War (1967)
De Tiendaagse Veldtocht 2	The Ten-Day (Military) Campaign (Holland-Belgium 1831)
De Ondergrondse / Het Verzet 2 3	the resistance movement in WWII German-occupied Holland - more below
De Geallieerden 2	The World War II Allies (the U.S., the Soviet Union, Great Britain etc.)
De Hongerwinter 2	'The Hunger Winter' - The Winter of 1944 in the West of The Netherlands, when many people died of hunger
in vredestijd 2	in peacetime, in time of peace
(het) Ministerie van Defensie 2 3	Ministry of Defense, Defense Department
in oorlogstijd 2	in wartime, in time of war
(het) Ministerie van Oorlog 2 3	Ministry of War, War Department
We hebben de oorlog nog niet gewonnen	We have not yet won the war
We hebben de oorlog gewonnen	We have won the war
winnen 2	to win, be victorious ‑>>
verliezen 2	to lose (either an item or a competition) ‑>>
vrede hebben met 2 3	to be at peace with, accept
(de) terreur de meest gevreesde terrorist	terror, terrorism the most feared terrorist, the terrorist that is/was feared most
de raket trof een kleuterschool	the rocket hit a nursery school
de bom ontplofte 2	the bomb exploded
(de) ontploffing	explosion
(de) explosie 2	explosion
de gigantische explosie 2 3	the vast explosion
de reusachtige ontploffing 2 3	the vast explosion
een geweldige ontploffing 2 3	a tremendous explosion
een krachtige ontploffing 2 3	a powerful exposion
een krachtige explosie 2	a powerful exposion

De Koninklijke Landmacht 2 3 ['the Royal Land Force(s)'] - official name of the Dutch Army

De vlucht naar voren 2 ['escaping forward'] - a government in trouble embarking on a risky but popular military adventure, like the Argentine Junta's attempt to occupy the Falkland Islands in the 1980s, or in the 1960s, Indonesia's unfortunately successful capture of Western New Guinea, denying independence to the Papua people.
John le Carré, talking about the similar German expression 'Der Flucht nach Vorn' says there is no English equivalent.

(Het) ontzet 2 3 'relief' - the lifting of (het) beleg the 'siege' of a town (in the Middle Ages and the 16th and 17th Centuries.) Leidens ontzet - the lifting of the siege of Leyden (October 3rd, 1574) was a turning point in the Dutch War of Liberation. A year earlier the Spanish also failed to capture Alkmaar

The verb 'schieten' 2 means 'to shoot.' It's a strong verb:

schieten to shoot

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schoot shot

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geschoten shot

schieten to shoot

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ik schiet I shoot

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wij schieten we shoot

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ik schoot I shot

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wij schoten we shot

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ik heb geschoten I have shot

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2

Dutch has the very old-fashioned word (de) krijg 2 3 4 for 'war,' like German 'Krieg.' It's still found in some compound words:
(de) krijgsgevangene 2 prisoner of war (already mentioned above)
(de) krijgsraad 2 1. military court of justice 2. council of the top military
(de) krijger 2 'brave,' Native American warrior

As mentioned above, Dutch has (de) strijd 2 'struggle' and (het) strijdperk 2 3 'battleground, area of fighting' from the verb 'strijden'   'to fight, do battle.' It's a strong verb:

strijden to fight

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streed fought

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gestreden fought

2

(de) strijdkreet 2	batlle cry
(de) strijdbijl 2	batlle axe
strijdbaar	[ready for batlle] - agressive, militant
(de) vrijheidsstrijder	freedom fighter
moegestreden	tired from fighting, battle-weary
(de) wedstrijd 2	game, match (sports) ‑>>

Strijden tegen ongelijkheid 2	Fighting inequality
Strijden voor gelijkheid 2 3	Fighting for equality
strijden tegen onrecht 2 3	fighting injustice
Wie heeft de wedstrijd gewonnen?	Who won the match?
't Is omstreden 2 3	It's controversial, contested, there is no consensus about it

'Vechten'   2 'to fight, do battle.' Vechten is a strong verb:

vechten to fight

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vocht fought

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gevochten fought

(het) gevecht 2 3	fight, struggle, brawl
(het) gevechtsvliegtuig	fighter plane
(het) tweegevecht 2	formal word for 'battle for two,' duel (het) duel 2
(de) vechtpartij 2 3	fight, brawl

I say vechten met 'with' when it's engaging in a fight, individuals or small groups brawling, and vechten tegen 'against' when it's more a formal, nonviolent struggle, protests or in the courts, fighting for a cause, not really soldiers doing battle or people getting physical.
Vechten met jezelf 2 Fighting yourself, conflicting impulses Vechten met windmolens 2 3 4 Fighting ('tilting at') windmills, like Don Quixote Vechten tegen windmolens 2 3 Fighting windmills, like activists who don't want them built or want them removed - though some Dutch people say Don Quichote fought  tegen windmills Vechten tegen de Bierkaai 'fighting the Bierkaai' - an old saying, when usage was different or more fluid 't Is vechten tegen de Bierkaai 2 3 ['it's like fighting the Bierkaai'] 'A hopeless struggle you can't possibly win'
'De Bierkaai' 2 ('Beer Quay'?) was a rowdy neighborhood in old Amsterdam Vechten tegen onrecht Fighting injustice Vechten tegen slaap 2 3 Fighting sleep, trying to stay awake

Vechten met can also refer to the means used in fighting:
Vechten met je blote handen 2 3 4 Fighting with your bare hands

Vechten voor 2 'for,' is fighting, struggling to get, the purpose of the activity is to get something.
Vechten voor geld 2 3 Fighting for money, professional fighters Vechten voor vrijheid 2 3 Fighting for freedom, fighting to be free

Vechten om 'fighting over,' being in a fight or a competition with others (not always violent) to get something.
Vechten om brood 2 Fighting over bread Vechten om voedsel 2 3 Fighting over food Vechten om geld 2 fighting over money, like relatives disagreeing about an inheritance

de Vecht 2 a small, scenic river in the West of the country
(het) vocht 2 liquid, fluid
vochtig 2 damp
(de) vochtigheid 2 [dampness] - humidity
(de) damp 2 vapor
(de) waterdamp 2 3 water vapor

(het) verzet resistance
Het verzet tegen de maatregelen 2 3 The resistance against the measures, rules de Ondergrondse ['underground'] / het Verzet 2 3 / de Illegaliteit 2 the Resistance movement against the German occupation

Zich verzetten 2 3 'to resist,' often violently - sometimes 'to oppose' - Reflexive Verbs Hij verzette zich bij z'n arrestatie 2 3 4 He violently resisted his arrest Hij verzette zich tegen de politie 2 He fought with the police Hij verzette zich tegen het plan 2 He opposed the plan But:  een verzetje 2 an amusement, a welcome interruption
This is from the not-reflexive verb verzetten 2 to move items, put them in another place (or time) ‑>>

'Weer' 2 is ususally (het) weer  'weather' or the adverb weer  'again'
'Weer' 2 meaning 'fighting' or 'defense' (German 'Wehr')  is only found in compound words like:

(de) brandweer 2	fire brigade, fire department
(de) brandweerman 2	[fire-fighting man] firefighter, fireman
weerstaan 2 3	to resist, withstand (usually figuratively, like temptation)
onweerstaanbaar	irresistable (usually figuratively)
(de) weerstand 2	(personal) opposition, resistance; (electrical) resistance
Ze boden weerstand 2	They [offered resistance] resisted, fought
De weg van de minste weerstand kiezen 2 3	Choosing the [way] line of the least resistance, the easiest option
weerloos	[without resistance] defenseless, helpless
krachtig verweer 2	strong resistance, powerful defending
(de) weerzin 2	['inner resistance, very strong dislike'] - disgust
weerzinwekkend 2	['disgust-creating'] - disgusting, revolting

ambulance

verkenner

vrachtwagen

"half-track"

kanon

jeep 2 (English)

Many thanks to Sgt. Daniel Baskin, USMC (Ret.)

See also: The Bridge too Far

See also: Medieval

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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