Bedeutung
To quit or give up on something.
Kultureller Hintergrund
The Dutch value 'doorzettingsvermogen' (perseverance), but they also value honesty. Admitting you 'er de brui aan geeft' is often seen as a sign of being realistic rather than a failure. In Flanders, the phrase is also well-known, though Flemish speakers might more often use 'het voor bekeken houden' in similar informal contexts. In Dutch offices, this phrase is used to signal a 'hard stop' on projects that are no longer viable. It’s part of the 'poldermodel' mentality of discussing when to stop wasting energy. Dutch sports journalists love this phrase. It adds drama to a story about an athlete who quits unexpectedly, making it sound more like a personal choice of protest.
Use it for small things
Don't be afraid to use this for minor frustrations, like a difficult crossword puzzle. It makes you sound very natural.
The 'er' is mandatory
Never forget the 'er'. Saying 'Ik geef de brui aan' sounds like you've forgotten how to speak Dutch!
Bedeutung
To quit or give up on something.
Use it for small things
Don't be afraid to use this for minor frustrations, like a difficult crossword puzzle. It makes you sound very natural.
The 'er' is mandatory
Never forget the 'er'. Saying 'Ik geef de brui aan' sounds like you've forgotten how to speak Dutch!
Gooien vs Geven
Use 'gooien' if you want to sound really annoyed. It implies you're throwing the task away.
Teste dich selbst
Vul de ontbrekende woorden in.
Ik ben al uren bezig met deze IKEA-kast, maar ik geef ___ de ___ aan.
The fixed idiom is 'er de brui aan geven'.
Welke zin is correct?
De coach was ontevreden over de resultaten...
You need both 'er' and 'aan' for the idiom to be grammatically correct.
In welke situatie zou je 'er de brui aan geven' gebruiken?
Kies de beste situatie:
The idiom specifically implies frustration or being 'fed up'.
Maak de dialoog af.
A: 'Lukt het een beetje met je nieuwe dieet?' B: 'Nee, het is te zwaar. Ik ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___.'
The perfect tense 'heb ... gegeven' is used here to show the action is finished.
Combineer de delen van de uitdrukking.
Match de kolommen:
These are three different Dutch idioms for giving up.
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Visuelle Lernhilfen
Aufgabensammlung
5 AufgabenIk ben al uren bezig met deze IKEA-kast, maar ik geef ___ de ___ aan.
The fixed idiom is 'er de brui aan geven'.
De coach was ontevreden over de resultaten...
You need both 'er' and 'aan' for the idiom to be grammatically correct.
Kies de beste situatie:
The idiom specifically implies frustration or being 'fed up'.
A: 'Lukt het een beetje met je nieuwe dieet?' B: 'Nee, het is te zwaar. Ik ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___.'
The perfect tense 'heb ... gegeven' is used here to show the action is finished.
Ordne jedem Element links seinen Partner rechts zu:
These are three different Dutch idioms for giving up.
🎉 Ergebnis: /5
Häufig gestellte Fragen
14 FragenNot anymore. It only exists in this idiom. Historically it meant a beating.
No, it's too informal and implies you quit because you were annoyed. Use 'mijn loopbaan veranderen' instead.
'Stoppen' is neutral. 'Er de brui aan geven' implies frustration or being fed up.
Yes, unless you replace 'er' with 'aan [the thing]'. For example: 'Ik gaf aan het project de brui.'
Not necessarily rude, but it is blunt. It shows you are done with something.
No, you don't 'give the brui' to a person. You give it to a task or a role.
Yes, it is common in both the Netherlands and Flanders.
No, the order is always 'er de brui aan geven'.
Yes: 'Ik gaf er de brui aan' or 'Ik heb er de brui aan gegeven'.
Yes, 'er de brui aan geven' is more common in everyday spoken Dutch.
Perfect! 'Ik gaf het pianospelen de brui aan' is a great sentence.
It rhymes with 'lui' (lazy) and 'vrij' (free - almost).
It's informal idiom, but not quite slang. It's safe for most casual and semi-formal conversations.
The preposition 'aan' indicates the direction of the 'giving'. You give the blow *to* the task.
Verwandte Redewendungen
het bijltje erbij neerleggen
synonymTo give up, often because you can't win.
de handdoek in de ring gooien
similarTo throw in the towel.
er de brui aan gooien
specialized formA more forceful version of the phrase.
ophouden
similarTo stop.
staken
contrastTo cease or go on strike.
