Phrase in 30 Seconds
A versatile Dutch phrase used to express mild regret or disappointment when things don't go as planned.
- Means: 'That is a pity' or 'That's too bad'.
- Used in: Casual conversations, missed appointments, or minor bad news.
- Don't confuse: Use it for minor setbacks, not for major life tragedies.
شرح بمستواك:
المعنى
Expressing regret.
خلفية ثقافية
The Dutch value 'nuchterheid' (sobriety/pragmatism). 'Dat is jammer' is the perfect response because it acknowledges the problem without making a scene. Flemish speakers might use 'Dat is spijtig' more often than 'Dat is jammer', as it sounds slightly softer and more formal. In Surinamese Dutch, the tone might be more expressive, but 'jammer' remains a staple for expressing regret. In meetings, 'Dat is jammer' is used to shut down an idea politely. It signals that the discussion is over and we are moving on.
The 'Wat' trick
If you want to sound more empathetic, use 'Wat jammer!' instead of 'Dat is jammer.' The 'Wat' adds a little more 'oomph'.
Avoid 'Ik ben jammer'
Never say 'Ik ben jammer.' It sounds like you are calling yourself a pathetic person. Always use 'Dat is jammer' or 'Ik vind het jammer.'
The 'Wat' trick
If you want to sound more empathetic, use 'Wat jammer!' instead of 'Dat is jammer.' The 'Wat' adds a little more 'oomph'.
Avoid 'Ik ben jammer'
Never say 'Ik ben jammer.' It sounds like you are calling yourself a pathetic person. Always use 'Dat is jammer' or 'Ik vind het jammer.'
Sarcasm Alert
Be careful with your tone. If you say it too flatly, it can sound like you don't care at all about the other person's problem.
اختبر نفسك
Choose the best response to this situation: Your friend says, 'The concert is sold out.'
Vriend: 'De tickets voor het concert zijn op.' Jij: '...'
'Dat is jammer' is the appropriate response to disappointing news.
Complete the sentence with the correct word.
Wat ... dat je niet kunt komen!
'Wat jammer' is the standard exclamation for this context.
Match the phrase to the correct situation.
Which situation fits 'Dat is jammer'?
'Jammer' is for minor setbacks like a closed shop.
Fill in the missing line in this dialogue.
A: 'Ik heb mijn trein gemist.' B: '...'
Missing a train is a classic 'jammer' moment.
Which of these is grammatically INCORRECT?
Which sentence is wrong?
You cannot use 'een' with the adjective 'jammer'.
🎉 النتيجة: /5
وسائل تعلم بصرية
When to use 'Jammer' vs 'Zonde'
Jammer (Pity)
- • Missed train
- • Rainy day
- • Friend is busy
- • Sold out
Zonde (Waste)
- • Dropped food
- • Broken toy
- • Unused tickets
- • Lost money
بنك التمارين
6 تمارينVriend: 'De tickets voor het concert zijn op.' Jij: '...'
'Dat is jammer' is the appropriate response to disappointing news.
Wat ... dat je niet kunt komen!
'Wat jammer' is the standard exclamation for this context.
Which situation fits 'Dat is jammer'?
'Jammer' is for minor setbacks like a closed shop.
A: 'Ik heb mijn trein gemist.' B: '...'
Missing a train is a classic 'jammer' moment.
Which sentence is wrong?
You cannot use 'een' with the adjective 'jammer'.
🎉 النتيجة: /6
الأسئلة الشائعة
14 أسئلةNo, it is way too informal and light. Use 'Wat vreselijk' or 'Gecondoleerd' instead.
'Jammer' is an adjective used to react to news. 'Helaas' is an adverb used to deliver bad news.
No, it is an adjective. You cannot say 'een jammer'.
Yes! If you are talking about something that happened yesterday, 'Dat was jammer' is perfect.
It's not rude, but it is very childish or sarcastic. Don't use it with your boss!
You don't. Use 'Het spijt me' for apologies. Use 'Ik vind het jammer' to say 'I think it's a pity'.
Yes, but 'spijtig' is more common in Flanders.
No, it is strictly for negative or disappointing situations.
There isn't a direct opposite, but 'Dat is mooi' or 'Wat fijn!' are good positive reactions.
Yes, 'Het is jammer dat...' is very common in professional emails.
The sound is similar, but the meaning is different. 'Yammer' is about talking too much; 'jammer' is about pity.
Yes, 'Heel jammer' or 'Erg jammer' means 'Very much a pity'.
No, it is a very mild word. It's like a 3 out of 10 on the sadness scale.
Because it fits the Dutch culture of acknowledging problems without getting too emotional.
عبارات ذات صلة
Dat is zonde
similarThat's a waste
Helaas
synonymUnfortunately / Alas
Wat een pech
similarWhat bad luck
Helaas pindakaas
informalToo bad, peanut butter
Spijtig
specialized formRegrettable
Jammer de bammer
slangToo bad (playful)
أين تستخدمها
At the Train Station
Reiziger A: De trein naar Amsterdam heeft tien minuten vertraging.
Reiziger B: Oh, dat is jammer. Dan mis ik mijn afspraak.
In a Cafe
Ober: Sorry, de appeltaart is op.
Klant: Wat jammer! Dan neem ik een koekje.
Texting a Friend
Sanne: Ik kan vanavond niet komen, ik moet werken.
Tom: Dat is jammer! Volgende keer beter.
At the Office
Collega: De vergadering is verplaatst naar maandag.
Jij: Dat is jammer, ik had me goed voorbereid.
Dating App
Match: Ik woon eigenlijk in België, niet in Nederland.
Jij: Oei, dat is jammer. Dat is een beetje ver weg.
Watching Sports
Fan 1: Hij schiet... naast!
Fan 2: Ah, wat jammer! Dat was een mooie kans.
احفظها
وسيلة تذكّر
Think of someone 'yammering' (complaining) because something is a 'jammer' (pity).
ربط بصري
Imagine a small child dropping an ice cream cone on a sunny day. A Dutch person standing nearby shrugs and says, 'Dat is jammer.'
Rhyme
Jammer de bammer, pak de hamer!
Story
You go to the bakery for a croissant. The baker says they are sold out. You feel a tiny bit sad. You say 'Dat is jammer.' The baker nods. You both move on with your lives. No drama, just 'jammer'.
In Other Languages
In German, it's 'Das ist schade.' In English, 'That's a pity.' Both share the same feeling of mild, non-catastrophic regret.
Word Web
تحدٍّ
Today, every time you see something slightly annoying (a red light, a slow computer), whisper 'Dat is jammer' to yourself.
Review this phrase whenever you feel a 2/10 level of disappointment.
النطق
The 'j' is like the 'y' in 'yes'. The 'a' is short like in 'hot'.
طيف الرسمية
Het is spijtig dat het evenement geen doorgang kan vinden. (Event cancellation)
Het is jammer dat het feestje niet doorgaat. (Event cancellation)
Jammer dat het niet doorgaat, man. (Event cancellation)
Echt jammer de bammer dat 't gecancelled is. (Event cancellation)
Derived from the Middle Dutch word 'jamer', which meant 'misery' or 'lamentation'. It is related to the English word 'yammer' (to complain loudly).
حقيقة ممتعة
The English word 'yammer' and the Dutch 'jammer' are linguistic cousins, but while the English one focuses on the *noise* of complaining, the Dutch one focuses on the *feeling* of the pity.
ملاحظات ثقافية
The Dutch value 'nuchterheid' (sobriety/pragmatism). 'Dat is jammer' is the perfect response because it acknowledges the problem without making a scene.
“Rain in the Netherlands is so common that 'Wat jammer' is practically a national catchphrase.”
Flemish speakers might use 'Dat is spijtig' more often than 'Dat is jammer', as it sounds slightly softer and more formal.
“In a Belgian office: 'Het is spijtig dat u niet aanwezig kunt zijn.'”
In Surinamese Dutch, the tone might be more expressive, but 'jammer' remains a staple for expressing regret.
“A friend in Paramaribo might say 'Ai, dat is jammer hoor!'”
In meetings, 'Dat is jammer' is used to shut down an idea politely. It signals that the discussion is over and we are moving on.
“Manager: 'We hebben geen budget voor dat plan. Dat is jammer, maar het is zo.'”
بدايات محادثة
Wat vind je jammer aan het weer in Nederland?
Ben je wel eens te laat gekomen voor een afspraak? Wat zei je?
Wat is jammer maar niet vreselijk?
أخطاء شائعة
Het is een jammer.
Dat is jammer. / Het is jammer.
L1 Interference
Ik ben jammer.
Ik vind het jammer.
L1 Interference
Dat is jammer (at a funeral).
Wat vreselijk. / Gecondoleerd.
L1 Interference
Dat is jammer (when you broke someone's phone).
Het spijt me zo!
L1 Interference
In Other Languages
Das ist schade.
German also uses 'Jammer' but usually as a noun meaning 'misery' (Weltschmerz vibes).
C'est dommage.
French speakers might use it slightly more often in formal contexts than Dutch speakers use 'jammer'.
Es una lástima.
Spanish requires the article 'una', which Dutch learners often incorrectly carry over.
残念ですね (Zannen desu ne)
Japanese often adds 'ne' to seek agreement, whereas Dutch 'Dat is jammer' is more of a factual statement.
يا للأسف (Ya lal-asaf)
The Arabic version sounds slightly more poetic or formal than the very plain Dutch 'jammer'.
太可惜了 (Tài kěxī le)
Chinese focuses more on the 'waste' of the opportunity, similar to Dutch 'zonde'.
아쉽네요 (Aswipneyo)
The Korean term often implies a personal feeling of 'missing' something, while 'jammer' is more objective.
É uma pena.
Like Spanish, it uses a noun ('pena') where Dutch uses an adjective.
Spotted in the Real World
“Dat is jammer, maar we hebben nu eenmaal regels.”
Juf Ank telling a parent that they can't enter the classroom after the bell.
“Ja, dat is jammer.”
Reacting to a politician's failed attempt to explain a policy.
“Wat jammer, zei Nijntje.”
When something small goes wrong in Miffy's day.
“Dat is jammer, jammer, jammer...”
A song about things going wrong.
“Veel kinderen vinden het jammer dat de vakantie voorbij is.”
Reporting on the first day of school.
سهل الخلط
Learners use 'jammer' when they mean 'zonde' (waste).
If you can say 'What a waste!' in English, use 'zonde'. If you say 'That's a pity!', use 'jammer'.
Learners use 'jammer' to apologize for their own actions.
'Jammer' is for external events. 'Het spijt me' is for your own mistakes.
الأسئلة الشائعة (14)
No, it is way too informal and light. Use 'Wat vreselijk' or 'Gecondoleerd' instead.
usage contexts'Jammer' is an adjective used to react to news. 'Helaas' is an adverb used to deliver bad news.
comparisonsNo, it is an adjective. You cannot say 'een jammer'.
grammar mechanicsYes! If you are talking about something that happened yesterday, 'Dat was jammer' is perfect.
grammar mechanicsIt's not rude, but it is very childish or sarcastic. Don't use it with your boss!
practical tipsYou don't. Use 'Het spijt me' for apologies. Use 'Ik vind het jammer' to say 'I think it's a pity'.
common mistakesYes, but 'spijtig' is more common in Flanders.
cultural usageNo, it is strictly for negative or disappointing situations.
basic understandingThere isn't a direct opposite, but 'Dat is mooi' or 'Wat fijn!' are good positive reactions.
comparisonsYes, 'Het is jammer dat...' is very common in professional emails.
usage contextsThe sound is similar, but the meaning is different. 'Yammer' is about talking too much; 'jammer' is about pity.
comparisonsYes, 'Heel jammer' or 'Erg jammer' means 'Very much a pity'.
grammar mechanicsNo, it is a very mild word. It's like a 3 out of 10 on the sadness scale.
basic understandingBecause it fits the Dutch culture of acknowledging problems without getting too emotional.
cultural usage
