Bedeutung
To say something that everyone already knows.
Kultureller Hintergrund
The Dutch value 'efficiëntie' (efficiency). Stating the obvious is often seen as a waste of time in professional settings. While the phrase is used, the Flemish are generally more indirect. Using this phrase might sound slightly more aggressive in Flanders than in Amsterdam. In universities, this phrase is a common critique of student papers that lack an original thesis. Satirical shows like 'Zondag met Lubach' frequently use this to mock political slogans.
The 'Ik wil geen...' trick
If you have to say something obvious but want to sound smart, start with: 'Ik wil geen open deur intrappen, maar...' This shows you are aware it's obvious.
Don't be too blunt
Telling someone 'Je trapt een open deur in' can be rude. Use it carefully with superiors or people you don't know well.
Bedeutung
To say something that everyone already knows.
The 'Ik wil geen...' trick
If you have to say something obvious but want to sound smart, start with: 'Ik wil geen open deur intrappen, maar...' This shows you are aware it's obvious.
Don't be too blunt
Telling someone 'Je trapt een open deur in' can be rude. Use it carefully with superiors or people you don't know well.
Dutch Directness
Embrace the phrase! It's a very 'Dutch' way to keep conversations focused and avoid fluff.
Teste dich selbst
Vul het juiste werkwoord in (let op de vervoeging).
Toen hij zei dat we water nodig hebben om te overleven, ___ hij een open deur ___.
The idiom is 'een open deur intrappen'. In the past tense, it becomes 'trapte ... in'.
Wat is de beste reactie als iemand een cliché gebruikt?
Persoon A: 'Gezondheid is het allerbelangrijkste in het leven.'
Option A correctly identifies that the person is stating a very obvious cliché.
In welke situatie is deze uitdrukking het meest gepast?
Een politicus zegt: 'We moeten de criminaliteit bestrijden.'
Fighting crime is a universal goal that no one disagrees with, making it an 'open door'.
Maak de dialoog af.
A: 'Ik denk dat we meer moeten oefenen om beter te worden in Nederlands.' B: 'Nou, dat is ___.'
While 'het wiel uitvinden' is similar, 'een open deur intrappen' fits best for a verbal statement of the obvious.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Aufgabensammlung
4 AufgabenToen hij zei dat we water nodig hebben om te overleven, ___ hij een open deur ___.
The idiom is 'een open deur intrappen'. In the past tense, it becomes 'trapte ... in'.
Persoon A: 'Gezondheid is het allerbelangrijkste in het leven.'
Option A correctly identifies that the person is stating a very obvious cliché.
Een politicus zegt: 'We moeten de criminaliteit bestrijden.'
Fighting crime is a universal goal that no one disagrees with, making it an 'open door'.
A: 'Ik denk dat we meer moeten oefenen om beter te worden in Nederlands.' B: 'Nou, dat is ___.'
While 'het wiel uitvinden' is similar, 'een open deur intrappen' fits best for a verbal statement of the obvious.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenTechnically yes, but people will think you are being literal. It's almost exclusively used figuratively.
It is almost always 'een open deur' (indefinite) because you are referring to the *concept* of an obvious statement.
Yes, it can be. It's better to say: 'Dat is een helder punt, maar hoe gaan we dat aanpakken?'
'Het wiel uitvinden' is about doing work that's already been done. 'Open deur' is about saying things that are already known.
Rarely. It's almost always a mild criticism of someone's lack of originality.
Yes, 'intrappen' is the fixed verb. Using 'openen' or 'duwen' would sound wrong to a native speaker.
Yes: 'Open deuren intrappen'. Use this if someone is saying many obvious things in a row.
Yes, it is used throughout the entire Dutch-speaking area, including Flanders.
Yes, it's quite common in opinion pieces and academic critiques to point out a weak argument.
The closest noun equivalent is 'a cliché' or 'a platitude'.
Verwandte Redewendungen
Het warm water uitvinden
similarTo discover hot water (to claim a common discovery as your own).
Het wiel opnieuw uitvinden
similarTo reinvent the wheel.
Water naar de zee dragen
relatedTo carry water to the sea.
Mosterd na de maaltijd
contrastMustard after the meal.
