The Small Change of Conversation™

Why? - Because - The Reason - Cause & Effect

Ik zie het verband 2 3 I see how it's connected (the Gestalt) Alles grijpt in elkaar 2 'everything is connected, all things hang together' Van 't een kwam 't ander 2 One thing led to another Van 't een komt 't ander 2 3 That one thing brings about something else (de) samenloop van omstandigheden ['convergence, [running] coming together of circumstances'] - coincidence ‑>>

Why

waarom? 2 why? what for? what is the reason? Waarom zijn de bananen krom? 2 3 Why are bananas not straight?
(rhetorical question in reaction to another question without answer) Waarom ben je boos? Why are you angry? Waarom doe je dat? 2 3 Why are you doing that? Waarom is dat? 2 Why is that? Why is it like that? Waarom is dat zo? 2 3 Why is that so? Why is it that way? Ik begrijp niet waarom 2 3 I don't understand why Nou begrijp ik waarom 2 3 4 Now I understand why Waarom zijn we hier? 2 Why are we here? ‑>> Waarom ben je nu hier? Why are you here now? Waarom duurt 't zo lang? 2 Why does it take so long? Er is geen reden waarom hij niet zou kunnen winnen There's no reason he couldn't win Waarom een Nederlander? Why a Dutchman? ‑>> Waarom moet 't zo moeilijk zijn? 2 Why does it have to be so difficult? Waarom kan 't niet gemakkelijk zijn? 2 Why can't it be easy? Waarom hij wel en ik niet? 2 3 Why him and not me? Waarom gaat altijd alles mis? 2 3 4 Why does everything always go wrong? Vraag niet waarom 2 Do not ask why

Because

daarom 2 that's why, the reason why, because of that Waarom? Daarom! Why? [That's why!] Because! ... en daarom ben ik weggegaan 2 3 .. and that's why I left ... en daarom wil ik geen elektrische fiets 2 3 ... and because of that I don't want an electric bicycle

omdat 'because'
Hij was blij omdat 't mooi weer was He was happy because the weather was nice Ik was kwaad omdat ik weer voor m'n rijexamen gezakt was 2 I was angry because I had failed the driving test again Omdat ik het niet verstond 2 Because I didn't (could not) hear what was said Omdat ik het niet begreep 2 3 Because I didn't understand (it) - the how or why, the idea Omdat ik het zeg 2 3 4 Because I say [it] so (an authoritarian statement) Omdat het niet anders kan 2 3 [Because it can't be (done) differently] - Because there is no other way ... omdat er geen bewijs is 2 3 ... because there is no proof Omdat er zoveel te zien was Because there was so much to see Omdat ik Nederlands ben Because I am Dutch

'Want' 2 can also mean 'because' but only at the start of a subsentence giving a reason, usually somewhere halfway a sentence. It can also be translated into English as 'for.'
Ik eet geen witlof meer want het is te duur 2 I don't eat Belgian endives anymore because [it's] they're too expensive Ze bleven een week in Delft ... They stayed in Delft for a week ... ... want er was zoveel te zien 2 ... because there was so much to see ... want er is geen bewijs 2 slow ... because there is no proof ... want de mens gaat naar z'n eeuwig huis en de rouwklagers gaan rond op de straat ... because Man goes to his eternal home and the mourners go about in the streets ->>

wanten 'mitts' (De) want 2 is 'mitt,' a 2-compartment glove

willen 2 more

Daar as 'because' is old-fashioned, bookish, but it has several other, more common meanings
Daar er geen bewijs is ... 2 3 Because there is no proof ... Daar de verwachte groei uitbleef, werd de fabriek weer gesloten 2 Because the expected growth didn't materialize the factory was closed (again) Aan de grens lette iemand op wie vertrok. "Heer, daar ik zie dat U weggaat, bid ik U: schrijf een boek voor mij ..." At the border, an attendant watched who was leaving. 'Lord, as I see that you're leaving, I pray: Please write a book for me ...'

The Reason

reason, cause, motivation
plural:  redenen 2 reasons etc.

Do not confuse (de) reden  2 ('reason, cause, motivation') with (de) rede  2 3 'reason, rationality.' Pronounce those final N's!
(de) rede 2 3 1. reason, rationality
2. speech, address, presentation
3. ships anchoring ('parking') area outside harbor de triomf der rede 2 3 the triumph of reason (old-fashioned) rede en gevoel 2 3 reason and feeling, 'heart and mind' (de) redenering 2 argumentation, line of reasoning redelijk 2 (redelijke ) reasonable, fair // rational, sensible een redelijke hoeveelheid 2 3 a reasonable, fair, rather large amount onredelijk 2 3 unreasonable, unfair, not right, unjust 't Is onredelijk It's unreasonable

(de) aanleiding 'occasion,' 'reason,' 'trigger event'
naar aanleiding van ... 2 3 in reaction to, in response to ... 'De aanleiding' can also be the 'trigger event,' 'the catalyst.' The classic example is the start of the First World War. That war had been brewing for years and for many reasons, but started in the Summer of 1914 because of the assassination in Sarajewo. 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

Cause and Effect

(het) effect 2 3 effect, result, outcome
plural:  effecten 2 3 (unusual)
't Heeft een vreemd effect 2 3 It has a strange effect In sports, Dutch can say a ball has effect 2 3 - 'spin'
effectief 2 3 effective
efficiënt efficient efficiënter 2 more efficient doeltreffend 2 [goal-hitting] effective
(het) resultaat 2 3 result, effect
'Effecten' 2 3 (usually in the plural) is also the Dutch word for stock, shares, parts of a company owned, money invested in companies
(de) effectenbeurs 2 stock exchange (het) Beursplein 2 the square housing the Amsterdam stock exchange (het) aandeel 2 1. stock (certificate)
2. contribution, part

(de) actie 2 action
plural:  acties actions
(de) reactie reaction
reageren 2 3 to react
reageren op 2 3 to react to
(de) 'daad' ['deed'] - act, action, activity "Geen woorden maar daden!" 2 ['Not words but actions'] - We want action, not words

Ik word er gek van [I'm being driven crazy by it] - It's driving me crazy Ik word er misselijk van 2 3 It makes me nauseous, it nauseates me, It makes me sick, it gives me nausea Ik word er ziek van 2 It makes me sick, it's making me sick (literally or figuratively) Ik werd er ziek van 2 I got sick of it (literally or figuratively) Ik word er zo ziek van 2 I'm getting very sick of it (literally or figuratively) - I'm tired of it Ik werd ziek van de herrie 2 I got sick from the loud noise, the loud noise made me sick Ik word er wanhopig van 2 [I become desperate by it] - It makes me despair, it drives me to desperation Word je er gelukkig van? (old-fashioned) 2 3
Word je er happy van? 2 3 Does it make you happy? Ik word er doodmoe van 2 [It makes me dead-tired] - it's exhausting // (usually) very annoying [I'm made to feel very tired by it] - It makes me feel exhausted Ik werd er helemaal naar van [I was made to feel horrible by it] - It made me feel sick all over Ik word droevig van de toestand in de wereld 2 I'm saddened by what's going on in the world

Ik werd wakker van de wekker I was woken up by the alarm clock Dat wordt een bende! 2 3 That [will become] is going to be a mess Dutch worden 2 can mean 'to become' more but is also the auxiliary verb for the passive voice

(De) last 2 is literally 'load, burden' but it's more often used as 'trouble, bother' - especially in phrases like:
last hebben van 2 to be bothered by, given trouble by and:  last krijgen van to be bothered by, given trouble by - in the future or an expectation Ik krijg er last van 2 3 It's going to bother me, it will give me trouble (for instance, mentioning a food allergy) Daar krijg je last van 2 3 That's going to bother you, that will give you trouble (a medical or dental problem that needs to be addressed) Ik krijg er hoofdpijn van 2 It gives me a headache ‑>> Daar krijg je een knauw van 2 3 [That bites you] - That causes much damage to you (a setback in attitude, outlook) Ik krijg er genoeg van 2 [I'm getting enough of it] - I'm sick of it Ik heb er genoeg van 2 [I''ve had enough of it] - I'm sick of it (stop it! -or- I'm leaving) Krijgen van  can also mean to receive, 'get' from, like for instance a present
Ik heb 't van Piet gekregen [I received it from Piet] - It was given to me by Piet

afhangen van 2 3 to depend (on) ‑>> 't Hangt er vanaf 2 3 It depends ... 't Hangt van de temperatuur af 2 3
't Hangt af van de temperatuur 2 3 It depends on the temperature
also: 't Heeft met de temperatuur te maken 2 It has to do with the temperature ('has to do' - the temperature is just one of the factors) - more below Laat 't daarvan afhangen 2 3 Let it depend on that, take a decision, proceed based on that afhankelijk (afhankelijke ) dependent onafhankelijk independent
onafhankelijkheid independence

(De) schuld 1. fault, blame
2. a debt, something owed (usually money) ‑>> de schuld geven 2 3 to blame
Ik kreeg de schuld van de ruzie [I got the blame of the quarrel] - I was blamed for the quarrel 't Is je eigen schuld 2 3 4 It's your own fault, you yourself are to blame (de) boete fine // penance
(de) straf punishment ‑>>

te maken hebben met 2 3 'having to do with,' 'being a factor in,' 'being involved' - 'being connected' ‑>> 't Heeft met de temperatuur te maken 2 It has to do with the temperature Note that when the item or factor involved is not mentioned but 'placeholders' are used instead, met changes to mee ‑>> - Dutch 'placeholders' with prepositions are er 'it'
daar 'that'
waar 'what' De vochtigheid heeft er ook mee te maken 2 The humidity is also involved in it Misschien heeft 't daar ook mee te maken 2 3 Maybe it has to do with that too, maybe it's connected, related to that (is there a connection?) Zou 't daar ook mee te maken hebben? 2 3 Does it also have to do with that? Is that also a factor?

Ik wil er niks mee te maken hebben 2 3 I don't want to have anything to do with it, I don't want to get involved with it

hoewel although
Hoewel de proef mislukte, hebben we toch veel geleerd Although the experiment failed, we still learned a lot Hoewel het regende, ging hij toch zonder jas naar buiten 2 Although it was raining, he still went out without a coat In 'hoewel' constructions like these 'toch' may also be left out:
Hoewel hij hard gewerkt had, zakte hij voor het examen Although he had worked hard, he (still) failed the test

Danken is a somewhat formal word for 'to thank.' more
Waaraan heb ik dit te danken? 2 [What is causing this? How do I deserve this?] - Why does this happen to me? (anger at misfortune)
Also:  Waaraan heb ik dit verdiend? 2 What did I do to deserve this? (angrily lamenting misfortune) Two other derived words for this page:
dankzij 2 'thanks to'
ondanks 2 3 'despite, in spite of'
Dankzij het pilletje ging de hoofdpijn over 2 3 4 Thanks to the (little) pill the headache went away, the pill ended the headache Dankzij de fysiotherapie ging de pijn over 2 3 Thanks to the physical therapy the pain went away Dankzij een lening kon hij het bedrijfje kopen 2 (-ie) (-ie2) [Thanks to] With a loan he [could] was able to buy the (small) company Ondanks de regen hadden we toch een leuke dag 2 Despite the rain we still had a nice day Ondanks de lening kon hij het bedrijf toch niet redden 2 3 (-ie) (-ie2) Despite the loan he [still] couldn't save the company

Vraag en aanbod 2 Demand and supply (de) vraag 2 usually means 'question' but it can also mean economic 'demand'
(het) aanbod [what's offered] - 'supply'
Veel vraag en weinig aanbod betekent hoge prijzen 2 [Much] High demand and [little] low supply means high prices Een lage olieprijs betekent minder elektrische auto's 2 A low oil price means fewer electric cars ‑>>

English 'then' is translated as toen 2 3 for situations in the past ‑>> and dan 2 for future events ‑>> - Dutch dan  can also mean 'than' ‑>>
Toen was ik op reis 2 3 I was traveling then, at the time I was traveling Dan ben ik op reis 2 3 Then, at that time I [am] will be traveling groter dan 2 bigger than Dan  as 'then-future' can point to results of certain actions or circumstances, 'in that case:'
Dan houdt alles op 2 ['Then everything ends'] - That changes everything, it's no use continuing after that Dan moet ik iets anders bedenken 2 3 Then I'll have to think [up] of something else (we need a new plan) Dan ben je nog niet jarig 2 3 ['Then it won't be like your birthday'] - You'll be in trouble, you'll suffer Dan weet je dat voor eens en altijd 2 3 Then you'll know (that) once and for all (you won't forget it) more of this Dan
See also: als ... dan  (if/when ... then)
Haast je als je de tijd hebt, dan heb je de tijd als je haast hebt 'Hurry when you have time, then you'll have time when you're in a hurry' (informal 'you') Toen ik het licht aandeed sloegen de stoppen door 2 3 When I turned on the light the fuses blew out

'Verkeerd' (verkeerd / verkeerde 2) wrong, not correct
Heb ik iets verkeerd gedaan? 2 Have I done something wrong? Wat heb ik verkeerd gedaan? 2 3 What have I done wrong? What mistake have I made? Wat kan ik verkeerd gedaan hebben? 2 3 What can I have done wrong? What mistake have I made? Hoe had ik het anders kunnen doen? How could I have done it differently? - 'anders') Wat had ik anders kunnen doen? 2 3 4 What could I have done differently? - this can mean two things:
1. a question about the procedure, like the line above
2. an excuse, 'What else could I have done? There was no alternative' 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? Wat beweegt die mensen? 2 3 [What 'moves' those people?] - What is their motivation? (to do something commonly considered unpleasant, horrible)

There is no simple equivalent of 'impact - having an impact' in Dutch.
You can use (de) invloed 2 'influence'
Heeft 't er invloed op? 2 3 Does it influence, does it have an impact? or  (de) stempel ('rubber') stamp
't Drukt een stempel op ... 2 3 It has an impact on ... But both are a bit formal and sound 'official.' You could say
't Heeft gevolgen voor ... 2 There are consequences for ... which may be the most neutral. For a negative impact, you could say
't Zet een domper op ... 2 3 It has a negative impact on ... (for instance, a tragic event dampening festivities) - it puts a dampener on ...

(de) reflex 2 reflex

Miscellaneous, Various - Allerlei 2

Honger maakt rauwe bonen zoet 2 ['hunger makes raw beans sweet'] - Want changes your perception Wat maakt 't uit? 2 3 What difference does it make? (None - it doesn't matter) more maken

't Zet niet aan 2 It doesn't make a difference, it doesn't help, it doesn't make it better 't Bederft m'n eetlust 2 It [ruins] spoils my appetite Geen rook zonder vuur [No smoke without a fire] - where there's smoke, there's fire Een druppel op een gloeiende plaat 2 3 ['a drop of water on a red-hot surface'] - 'too little' - a totally ineffective remedy or an attempt to help that falls far short Hij is terecht ontslagen 2 [He was justly fired] - His firing was justified, there was good reason for it ‑>>

leiden tot leading to more leiden
't Leidde tot veel vertraging 2 3 It led to much delay, it caused much delay 't Leidt alleen maar tot meer ellende 2 3 It only leads to more misery, all it does is cause more trouble

(het) verband 1. connection, context, association
2. bandage, wound dressing ‑>> Ik zie het verband 2 3 I understand the connection, I see how it's related Is er enig verband? 2 Is there any connection? Are these things related Boomgroepen, dorpen, geknotte torens, kerken en olmen in een groots verband ... Clumps of trees, villages, truncated towers, churches and elm trees in a grand union ... more in verband met ... 2 in connection with, because of, due to (de) verbinding 2 3 connection, link, attachment, combination, compound

waarschuwen 2 3 4 to warn
Hij waarschuwde voor complicaties 2 3 He warned of complications ‑>>

voorbereiden 2 to prepare (for the future) ‑>>
Op alles voorbereid 2 prepared, ready for anything Ben je er klaar voor? 2 3 Are you ready (prepared) (for it)? ‑>>

voorkomen (voorKOmen) 2 to prevent, keep from happening ‑>> Voorkom problemen 2 Prevent problems We hadden 't kunnen voorkomen 2 We could have prevented it

Explaining, Understanding

duidelijk (duidelijke - duidelijk / duidelijke ) clear, easy to understand etc.
Was dat duidelijk voor je? 2 Was that clear to you? Did you understand that? more 'duidelijk'

Ik begrijp 't niet I don't understand it (the how or why) Ik begrijp niet hoe 't werkt I don't understand how it 'works' (how the mechanism runs) Wat ik nu pas begrijp ... 2 What I only now understand ... Toen ik de sterren zag begreep ik ... 2 3 When I saw the stars I understood ... ‑>> more begrijpen

Ik vraag me af hoe het komt 2 I wonder how (why) it came about, I wonder how it is that Ik weet niet hoe 't komt 2 3 I don't know how it came about, I don't know what is causing it

'Waar' can mean 'true' or 'real' (waar/ware 2) - next to 'where?' and 'what' ‑>>
(de) waarheid 2 ('truth.')
twee halve waarheden two half-truths - irregular plural Vertel me de waarheid 2 Tell me the truth, tell me what really happened Ik weet niet wat er van waar is 2 ['I don't know what of it is true'] - I'm not sure in how far it's true onwaar false, untrue
onwaarheden 'untruths,' lies
Ze hebben jullie onwaarheden verteld 2 They have told you guys [untruths] lies, they lied to you Ze hebben gelogen 2 They [have] lied 't Kan wel waar zijn 2 It may be true (but ...) 't Schijnt niet waar te zijn 2 3 It seems not to be true 't Kan best wel waar zijn 2 3 It may well be true, it's possible that it is the truth Wat is er van waar? 2 3 4 What (part) of it is true? de ware toedracht 2 3 The real sequence of events, the real cause, what really happened, the facts of the matter Te mooi om waar te zijn 2 3 Too [beautiful] good to be true Te vies om waar te zijn 2 3 [Too dirty to be true] - Impossibly dirty

vertellen 2 'to tell'
Vertel de waarheid! 2 [Tell the truth!] Say what really happened! Vertel me de waarheid! 2 Tell me the truth, Tell me what really happened! Hij vertelde mij de waarheid He told me [the truth] what had really happened Hij vertelde mij wat er gebeurd was He told me what had happened Hij vertelde hun wat er gebeurd was 2 He told them what had happened Ik vertel je de waarheid 2 I'm telling you the truth Wie heeft je dat verteld? 2 Who told you (singular) that? Wie heeft jullie dat verteld? 2 Who told you (plural) that? Niemand heeft me iets verteld 2 Nobody told me anything De agent vertelde de rechter wat hij gezien had <The policeman told the judge what he had seen De verkenner vertelde de kolonel snel wat hij gezien had 2 The scout quickly told the colonel what he had seen Wat Vertellen Ons De Wolken? 2 3 What Do The Clouds Tell Us? (title of a famous weather forecasting book) Ik wil 't best wel vertellen hoor 2 3 4 I really don't mind telling [it to] you Kan iemand me vertellen ...? 2 3 Can someone tell me ...? // Is there anybody who can tell me ...? Hoe kun je dat zien? 2 3 4 How can you see that? How can you tell? more 'vertellen'

Leren 2 means both 'to teach' and 'to learn.'
(de) les lesson ‑>>
Heb je d'r wat van geleerd? 2 Did you learn something from it? Did it teach you something? Laat 't een les zijn! 2 3 [Let it be a lesson] - I hope you learned something from it, I hope it (the bad thing that happened) has taught you something Weer wat geleerd! 2 3 [Learned something again] - I learned something new! more leren

rad / raderen

radertje 2

geheel?

houdt;

draait.

hetzelfde.

The Small Change of Conversation™
More pages like this:
Meet and Greet
Commenting on Statements and Opinions
Ziek - Talking about Not Feeling Well
Talking about Time
Chance, Luck, Outcomes and Risk
Expectations and What Happens

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