'Holland at its most narrow'
Before the great land reclamations,
there used to be a narrow strip of land North-West of
Amsterdam connecting two parts of
'Holland.' Later, the expression came to mean 'Dutchmen in their
most narrow-minded attitude.'
more about Dutch and English 'Holland'
2
Op Tijd = In Time, On Time
Op tijd
2
3
'in time /or/ on time.' English 'on time' and 'in time' do not mean
exactly the same, but Dutch uses op tijd for both meanings.
Precies op tijd
2
Exactly in/on time
Op tijd naar bed
Get to bed in time
( a resolution)
Ben je op tijd thuis?
2
Will you be home in time?
(usually: not late, before your regular bedtime)
De trein is meestal op tijd
2
The train is usually on time (on schedule)
Ik hoop dat 't op tijd is
I hope it's in time
We waren net op tijd
2
We were just in time
- see also: 'net'
Zorg dat je op tijd bent
2
3
4
Take care to be in time
Alles op z'n tijd
2
3
[Everything in its (good) time]
- There's a time for everything
'Too late' is te laat
‑>>
'Op' = To
van de ene dag op de andere
2
3
[from, between one day to [another] the next]
- suddenly, unexpectedly
deze kant op
2
3
[to this side] - this way, this direction
Het viel op de grond
2
3
It fell to the [ground] floor
dicht op elkaar
2
3
close together
koken
2
1. to boil 2. to cook
‑>>
opkoken
2
to bring to a boil
reageren
2
3
to react
reageren op
2
3
to react to
blik op oneindig
2
3
['eye focus set to infinity']
~the thousand-mile stare
- often combined with:
verstand op nul
2
[brainpower to zero, brain powering down]
'shutting down the brain'
Said when starting a mindless job or when doing something you don't want to
think about
Als klap op de vuurpijl
(saying)
['As a bang to the flare rocket'] - a grand ending
Het antwoord op Uw vraag ...
The answer to your question ...
Ik heb er geen antwoord op
2
3
4
5
I don't have an answer (or an adequate
response) to it
Daar heb ik geen antwoord op
2
3
I don't have an answer (or an adequate
response, solution) to that
't Hoofd op hol brengen
2
3
4
['bringing the head to a stampede,
make the head run wild']
- 'to turn someone's head, set pulses racing'
aanspraak maken op
2
laying (a) claim to
We drinken op je gezondheid
2
3
We drink (to) your health (a toast)
een uitzondering op de regel
2
3
4
an exception to the rule
'Op' = For
op alles voorbereid
2
prepared, ready for [everything] anything
op 't ergste voorbereid
2
prepared, ready for the worst
‑>>
We hopen op een wonder
2
We're hoping for a miracle
|
'Jagen'
2
'to hunt' is a
strong verb:
|
jagen
to hunt |
- |
joeg
hunted |
- |
gejaagd
hunted |
2
|
It's sometimes used in the sense of 'to rush, move hurriedly'
jagen op onderzeeërs
2
3
hunting (for) submarines
jagen op koopjes
2
3
hunting for bargains
Wees verdacht op ...
2
3
Expect, watch out for, be prepared
for ...
Wees verdacht op windstoten
Expect, watch out for, be prepared for
sudden gusts of wind
See also: 'verdenken'
2
'to suspect'
Op
... na
means 'except, except for'
op één na de beste
2
3
4
the best except for one - number 2
op sterven na dood
2
3
4
5
dead, except for the dying
- in rather bad shape
See also: 'behalve'
'except (for), but for'
‑>>
and (de) uitzondering
2
'exception'
‑>>
'Op' = Of
negen op de tien keer
2
3
4
9 (out) of 10 times
kans op onweer
2
3
chance of thunderstorms
‑>>
(de) inbreuk op privacy
invasion of privacy
Gezicht op Delft
View of Delft, Looking at Delft
(a Vermeer painting)
'Op' = In
op deze plaats
2
in this spot
"We benne op de wereld om mekaar te hellepe niewaar?"
2
We're in this world to help each
other out isn't it?
‑>>
op het platteland
2
3
in the countryside, in the country
also: Hij woont ergens achteraf
2
3
He lives [somewhere remote] in the
countryside
pas op de plaats
2
['step in place'] - moving but not going
forward or backward (or sideways) - marking time
op klaarlichte dag
3
[in the clear light of day]
in broad daylight
't huis op de foto
2
3
the house in the picture
op m'n oude dag
in my old [day] age
op den duur
2
3
4
in the long run, in the course of time
Op den duur wordt 't makkelijker
['in the long run']
'After a while it will be easier'
op de bus doen
to put in a mailbox: to mail
Een brief op de bus doen
2
Mailing a letter
‑>>
op welke manier dan ook
in whatever way possible - however
hij ligt op de loer
he's lying in wait (ready to pounce)
- lurking
loeren
to leer, to peer
Hij zit op de lagere school
2
3
He's in elementary school
Er zit een muis op zolder
2
3
There's a mouse in the attic
Ik zit op de tocht
2
3
I'm in a draft (unpleasant cold air flow)
op loopafstand
within walking distance
Other Translations of 'Op'
op de tast
2
3
4
by touch, groping
(de) tastzin
2
sense of touch
‑>>
op zichzelf
by itself, by yourself
Ik ben gek op drop
2
3
I'm crazy about liquorice (the Dutch candy)
- I like it very much
Wat heb je daarop te zeggen?
2
What do you say about that? What is your
comment on that?
't Komt op gang
It gets going, it's starting,
the start is successful
(Het) bezoek
2 is one or
more visitors, 'company'
Er is bezoek voor je
You have a visitor,
There is a visitor for you /or/ There are visitors for you
- 'You have company' - more
Op bezoek
2 is
'visiting'
Op bezoek gaan
2
'to go visit, pay a visit'
Op bezoek komen
2
'to come visit, to visit'
... en ik wil dat oma op bezoek komt
2
3
and I want Grandma to come visiting
‑>>
Hij is op bezoek bij de buren
He's visiting the neighbors
Verbs
Combined with 'Op'
'Lijken op
2
3
is 'to look like,' a similarity, a likelihood - or an expectation.
See also lijken in general
Behalve z'n neus lijkt-ie op z'n oma
Except for his nose
he looks like his grandma
Het lijkt erop dat hij gaat winnen
2
It looks like he's going to win
't Heeft er lang op geleken
2
3
For a long time it looked like ...
't Lijkt nergens op
2
['It looks like nothing']
- a bad job, something done badly
't Slaat nergens op
2
3
[It hits nothing] - It's a (usually unpleasant)
pointless remark that has nothing to do with the matter at hand
'Wachten'
op
is 'to wait for'
Ik zat te wachten op ...
I was waiting for ...
Ik zat te wachten op een telefoontje
I was waiting for a phone call
We staan te wachten op een taxi
2
3
We're waiting for a taxi
‑>>
Hij wachtte geduldig op z'n beurt
2
3
He was waiting patiently for his turn
Waar wacht je op?
2
3
What are you waiting for?
(Often meaning: Take action!)
Kom op!
2
3
Come on! (encouraging action,
suggesting hurry - or 'be reasonable')
Zet 'm op!
2
3
Give it your best (encouraging effort in
sports or tests)
Op zijn
2
3
4
5
Combined with verbs like especially
zijn
('to be')
moeten
2
('must') and
gaan
('to go') -
op
can mean something like
'finished, gone, nothing left'
De benzine is op
The gasoline is finished, we're out of gas
't Geld is op
2
3
The money is gone, there's no money left
also: Ik ben doodop
2
I'm dead-tired, completely exhausted
't Moet op
2
3
4
It needs to be finished,
I want it finished, consumed, used, gone
Dat moet eerst op
2
3
4
That needs to be finished, consumed first
Drink het op
2
3
Drink it, drink it up, finish that
drink
Heb je je koffie op?
2
3
Did you finish your coffee?
(Is your cup empty?)
't Zit erop
2
3
4
~the job is done, finished (it could also mean
that you attached something 'on top' somewhere, like a bike seat)
See also 'opmaken' below
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
Actually, rekenen op
2
3
4
is more common for 'to count on'
Je kunt erop rekenen
2
You can count on it
Je kunt op hem rekenen
2
3
4
You can count on him, he's reliable
Je kunt op me rekenen
2
3
You can count on me, I'll be there
By itself, rekenen
means 'to make calculations, do math'
‑>>
(het) slot
2
'lock'
op slot
'locked'
op slot doen
2
'to lock'
De deur is op slot
the door is locked
‑>>
Ik ben er trots op
2
3
I'm proud of it
De nadruk ligt op ...
2
The focus, most important point is ...
Hij legde de nadruk op gelijkheid
2
3
4
He focused on equality, he stressed equality,
his main point was equality
Er zit niks anders op
2
3
There is nothing else to it, there is no
alternative, this is what we have to do
Compound Verbs with 'Op'
See also 'opstaan'
2
'to get up' on top of this page
optillen
to lift, to lift up
- a splitting verb
| overview |
|---|
| optillen |
| to lift |
| ik til op |
| I'm lifting |
| wij tillen op |
| we're lifting |
| ik tilde op |
| I lifted |
| wij tilden op |
| we lifted |
| ik heb opgetild |
| I have lifted |
|
|
| simple present tense |
|---|
| optillen |
|
to lift |
| ik til op |
|
I lift |
| jij tilt op |
|
you lift |
| hij tilt op |
|
he lifts |
| wij tillen op |
|
we lift |
| jullie tillen op |
|
y'all lift |
| zij tillen op |
|
they lift |
| U tilt op |
|
you lift |
|
|
| simple past tense |
|---|
| (optillen) |
|
to lift |
| ik tilde op |
|
I lifted |
| jij tilde op |
|
you lifted |
| hij tilde op |
|
he lifted |
| wij tilden op |
|
we lifted |
| jullie tilden op |
|
y'all lifted |
| zij tilden op |
|
they lifted |
| U tilde op |
|
you lifted |
|
|
present perfect tense
ik heb opgetild
I have lifted
Ik tilde z'n fiets op
2
3
I lifted up his bike
Toen ik z'n fiets optilde begreep ik hoe hij zo hard kon
rijden
2
3
4
When I lifted up, picked up his bike I understood
how he could ride that fast
‑>>
Til het niet op!
2
Don't lift it
Ik kan 't niet optillen
2
3
4
I can't lift it, I'm not able
to lift it up
Hij probeerde de kist op te tillen
2
3
He tried to lift the wooden box
Hij kan vijftig kilo optillen
2
3
He can lift 50 kilos
(de) lift
is the Dutch word for 'elevator'
ophouden
2
to stop, end, come to an end
ophouden met
to stop, end, quit, cease
more met/mee
ophouden met werken
2
to stop working, to retire
ophouden met roken
2
to stop smoking
Hou op!
2
3
4
5
Stop it!
Hou toch op!
2
Now stop that nonsense! Shut up! I'm sick and
tired or your talking
't Houdt maar niet op
2
It just never stops, it goes on and on
Hou er onmiddellijk mee op!
2
3
Now stop that (immediately) right away!
Daar moet je mee ophouden
2
You should stop doing that
Dan houdt alles op
2
['Then everything ends'] - That changes everything,
it's no use continuing after that
Houdt die herrie nooit op?
Is that noise never going to stop?
't Hield zomaar op
2
It suddenly stopped, I don't know why
Ik denk erover op te houden
2
3
I'm thinking about stopping, quitting
Ze weten niet van ophouden
2
3
4
(saying)
['They don't know about stopping'] -
They go on an on, they never stop
onophoudelijk
2
ceaseless, unending, continuing
Ik eet geen witlof meer want het is te duur
2
[I no longer eat ... because it is too expensive]
- I stopped eating Belgian endives because they're too expensive
opkijken van
2
[to look up for] to be surprised,
impressed by
Daar kijkt niemand meer van op
2
3
Nobody is surprised, impressed
by that anymore
(de) oplader
charger
Vergeet niet je telefoon op te laden
2
Don't forget to charge your telephone
Like op zijn
2
3
4
5
above,
'opmaken'
can mean can mean something like 'use up' - 'all finished,
everything gone, nothing left'
Hij heeft al het geld opgemaakt
2
3
He has spent (used up?) all the money
Hij heeft al het water opgemaakt
2
He has used up all the water
(warm water, probably)
Opmaken
can mean many other things, like 'to apply make-up,' 'to prepare (a bill)'
and 'to conclude' - and sometimes it's just translated in English as
'to make'
Daaruit maak ik op ...
From that [I make out ...] I conclude ...
Heb je je bed opgemaakt?
2
3
Did you make your bed?
Schrijf je naam op een papiertje
Write (down) your name on a piece of paper
Ik heb het opgeschreven
2
I've written it down
(het) opschrijfboekje
notebook
We've seen
opschieten
2
3
'to hurry,' above, but there's also
opschieten
2
3
met
'to get on with people,'
usually as goed kunnen opschieten met ...
2
3
'to get on well with ...'
Ik kan goed opschieten met Jan
2
3
I get on well ('fabulously') with Jan
'Opletten'
2
3
means 'to pay attention, to check.' It's a splitting verb:
| opletten |
| to pay attention |
| ik let op |
| I'm paing attention |
| ik lette op |
| I paid attention |
| ik heb opgelet |
| I have paid attention |
|
2
|
Let op!
2
3
Opgelet!
2
3
4
5
Pay attention! (Something you need to see
(hear, feel) will happen shortly)
oplettend
2
3
attentive, paying good attention
oplettende lezertjes ...
2
3
attentive young readers ...
(Marten Toonder)
Hij zit niet goed op te letten
2
3
He's not paying close attention
Je moet goed opletten
2
3
You have to pay close attention
We hadden goed opgelet tijdens de les
2
We had paid close attention
during the lesson
'Letten op'
2
3
is used when there's a specific item or person to be watched
Let maar niet op mij
2
Now don't pay attention to me
(I'm doing my own thing)
We hebben goed op de temperatuur gelet
2
We paid close attention to the temperature
Hij let er niet op
2
He's not paying attention to it
Hij let nergens op
2
3
[He's not paying attention to anything]
~ he's extremely careless
Ik heb er niet op gelet
2
3
I wasn't paying attention to it
oppassen
2
3
1. 'to pay attention, be careful, proceed with caution'
2. 'to watch over'
oppassen met
2
3
'be careful with'
Pas op met vuur!
2
3
Be careful with fire!
Daar moet je mee oppassen
2
3
4
You should be careful with that,
You'd better be careful with that
Ze mogen wel oppassen
2
They should watch out,
they'd better be careful
Je mag wel oppassen
2
3
You should watch out,
you'd better be careful
(de) oppas
babysitter, or person who looks after
older children
(de) oppasser
2
3
4
'minder,' person looking after adults
passen op
2
3
to watch over, look after, take care of
iemand die op me past
2
Someone [who watches] to watch over me, someone
who looks after me
See also: (de)
pas and passen
'Opruimen'
means 'to tidy up, clear, put things in their place'
When you see a sign (de) opruiming
2 in a shop,
it means 'clearance,' items priced to sell, stuff the shopkeeper
doesn't want to keep in stock
| opruimen |
| to tidy up, clear |
| ik ruim op |
| I'm tidying |
| wij ruimen op |
| we're tidyin g |
| ik ruimde op |
| I tidied |
| wij ruimden op |
| we tidied |
| ik heb opgeruimd |
| I have tidied |
|
|
Het huis opruimen
Tidying up the house,
put things in their place
Opgeruimd staat netjes
['Cleared up, stored away looks neat']
'Things out of the way looks good'
Heb je je kamer opgeruimd?
2
3
Did you tidy up your room? Did you make your
room presentable?
opbergen
2
3
to store, put away (short-term)
opbergen / borg op / opgeborgen
2
Berg 't goed op
2
3
Put it in a safe place (a key or an important
document)
Ik heb 't te goed opgeborgen
2
3
I put it away too safely - I can't find it
anymore
(de) berging
2
a small storoge room, like in the basement of
an apartment building
opslaan
2
to store, lay up, put in storage
(long-term)
(de) opslag
2
storage
We deden 't in opslag
2
We put it in storage
(de) opslagplaats
2
3
depot, storage, dump
'Bestanden opslaan'
2
3
is an in my view unnecessary Dutch phrase for 'saving files'
opnemen
to take in, admit; to observe, measure; to
record sound; to absorb
in een ziekenhuis opgenomen
2
admitted to (put in a bed in) a hospital
Heeft U de temperatuur opgenomen?
Did you take the temperature?
‑>>
Ik ben aan 't opnemen
2
3
I am recording
(de) opname
recording, 'take'
opvallen
2
to stand out, be conspicuous // to notice
onopvallend
inconspicuous, not standing out,
not very noticeable
't Viel me niet op
2
3
I didn't notice it
't Is me niet opgevallen
2
3
I didn't notice it
't Is me nooit eerder opgevallen
2
3
4
5
I've never noticed it before
't Valt niet op
2
It doesn't stand out, you don't notice it,
it's barely noticeable, it's not conspicuous
More Words with 'Op'
(Related or Unrelated)
optreden
1. (artists) performing
‑>>
2. to take action against something
(het) optreden
performance by artists
| optreden |
| to perform |
| ik treed op |
| I'm performing |
| wij treden op |
| we're performing |
| ik trad op |
| I performed |
| wij traden op |
| we performed |
| ik heb opgetreden |
| I have performed |
|
|
opwindend
2
3
exciting, thrilling,
opgewonden
2
excited, heated, agitated, somewhat manic
de was opvouwen
2
3
folding the (washed) laundry
(de) oplichter
2
swindler, crook, con man
‑>>
Ze bleken oplichters te zijn
2
[They turned out to be swindlers] - It turned out
they were swindlers
'opzetten'
2
can mean 'to set up, organize, put into place' and it can also mean
'to put on'
water opzetten
2
'to put on [water] the kettle'
- bring water to a boil, usually for tea or coffee
Ik moet 't eten opzetten
2
[I have to put on the food] - I have to start
cooking
Hij had een netwerk opgezet
2
He had set up a network
in dit opzicht
2
in this perspective, in this respect
(de) opbouw
2
3
construction, building up, advancement
(de) opbouwende kritiek
2
constructive criticism
opdoemen
to appear, become visible (usually somewhat
frightening)
opbellen
2
3
to call, telephone
'Bellen'
2
3
4
is 'to ring a bell' but it can also be used for 'talking on the
telephone
aanbellen
to ring a doorbell
(de) oprit
2
[drive-up] - driveway
‑>>
tellen
2
to count
‑>>
optellen
2
to add (numbers)
opscheppen
2
1. 'to serve food,' ladle food on a plate
2. to boast
opscheplepels
serving spoons
(de) opschepper
is usually a 'boaster,' a person exaggerating his importance, but it
can also mean a person who puts food on plates in a community kitchen or
company restaurant
(het) oppervlak
2
(de) oppervlakte
2
[top plane] - surface, surface area
(de) opstand
2
uprising
de opstand van de gewone mensen
2
3
4
the revolt of the common people
(de) oprichter
2
3
founder
(de) opvolger
2
successor
(volgen
2
3
to follow)
(de) opluchting
2
3
relief, less worry
opgelucht
relieved
((de) lucht
air)
opgewekt
2
cheerful, in high spirits
ophangen
to hang
(de) ophef
fuss, ado, commotion
also:
(de) stennis
stennis maken
2
to get rowdy, raise a stink,
kick up a row
(de) opheffing
closing down, discontinuing
opvullen
2
to fill, to fill up
(vullen
2
to fill)
(de) opwelling
2
'impulse,' sudden, unthinking urge to act
opofferen
2
to sacrifice
(het) offer
2
sacrifice
oprecht
2 means
'genuine, sincere, really heartfelt' - NOT: 'upright'
oprecht medeleven
2
3
4
'really feeling your pain'
- genuine sympathy
(de) oppositie
2
3
4
(politics) the party or parties
not in government ‑>>
(de) optimist
optimist
(het) optimisme
2
optimism
optimistisch
optimistic
(het) opstel
secondary-school essay
open
open
- more 'open'
opeens
2
'suddenly, unexpectedly,' often without
explanation
more 'opeens'
opnieuw
2
anew, again, once again, another time
opnieuw beginnen
2
to start 'again,' to start over
Ik moet helemaal opnieuw beginnen
2
3
4
5
6
I [will] have to, need to
start all over again
More English 'Up'
See the top of the page for 'up' as 'op'
Kun je het aan?
2
Are you up to it?
iets aankunnen
2
3
to be able to deal with, manage something
Hoe gaat 't?
What's up? How are you?
Hoe is 't ermee?
What's up? How are you?
'What's up?' can also mean something like
'What's going on (today, in your life)?'
-- but there's
no good equivalent in Dutch. You can ask:
Wat is er aan de hand?
2
What's going on?
but it assumes something unusual is going on. You could also ask:
Wat ben je aan 't doen
[What are you doing?]
- What are you busy with?
but that is about an activity
English 'up' can also mean moving to a higher position. Dutch has two
words for that:
'omhoog'
2
3 and
'naar boven'
We klommen omhoog
We climbed up
De enige uitweg is omhoog
The only way out is up
We gingen met de roltrap naar boven
We took the escalator up
Ik ga naar boven
2
3
I'm going up, I'm going upstairs
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Copyright © Marco Schuffelen 2019.
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This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, redistributed,
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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
![[Marco at Microphone]](artwork6/MarcoMicrofoonH150RT.jpg)
![[ivy]](everydaypix/klimop200.jpg)