Bedeutung
Plans failing completely.
Kultureller Hintergrund
The Dutch are known for their 'agenda-cultuur'. Every minute is planned. When a plan 'in duigen valt', it is seen as a major disruption to the social and professional order. The idiom reflects the importance of the 'kuiper' (cooper) in Dutch history. Barrels were essential for the VOC (Dutch East India Company) to transport goods. The 'Poldermodel' requires consensus. If one party leaves the table, the whole agreement 'valt in duigen'. Dutch people prefer clear idioms that describe the state of things. 'In duigen vallen' is direct and leaves no room for ambiguity about the failure.
Use with 'geheel'
To sound like a native, add 'geheel' or 'volledig' (entirely). 'Het plan viel volledig in duigen.'
No 'de'!
Never say 'in de duigen'. It's a very common mistake for learners.
Bedeutung
Plans failing completely.
Use with 'geheel'
To sound like a native, add 'geheel' or 'volledig' (entirely). 'Het plan viel volledig in duigen.'
No 'de'!
Never say 'in de duigen'. It's a very common mistake for learners.
Drama Level
Reserve this for things that actually matter. Using it for a missed bus sounds sarcastic.
Teste dich selbst
Vul de juiste vorm van het werkwoord 'vallen' in.
Door de crisis ______ al hun toekomstplannen in duigen.
The sentence implies a past event (due to 'vielen' being the most natural fit for a narrative about a crisis), and 'plannen' is plural.
Welke zin is grammaticaal correct?
Kies de juiste zin:
No 'de' and use 'is' (zijn).
In welke situatie gebruik je 'in duigen vallen'?
Match de situatie:
This idiom is for major, structural failures.
Maak de dialoog af.
A: 'Gaat de reis naar Amerika nog door?' B: 'Nee, door het visumprobleem is alles ________.'
In this context, all three idioms for failure could work, though 'in duigen gevallen' is the most dramatic/formal.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Failure Idioms
Aufgabensammlung
4 AufgabenDoor de crisis ______ al hun toekomstplannen in duigen.
The sentence implies a past event (due to 'vielen' being the most natural fit for a narrative about a crisis), and 'plannen' is plural.
Kies de juiste zin:
No 'de' and use 'is' (zijn).
Match de situatie:
This idiom is for major, structural failures.
A: 'Gaat de reis naar Amerika nog door?' B: 'Nee, door het visumprobleem is alles ________.'
In this context, all three idioms for failure could work, though 'in duigen gevallen' is the most dramatic/formal.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenNo, use 'kapot' or 'in stukken'. 'In duigen' is for abstract things like plans.
It's neutral to formal. You can use it with friends or in a business report.
It's a stave—one of the wooden planks that make up a barrel.
It's possible in poetry, but 'mijn hart is gebroken' is much more common.
No, there is no idiom like 'in duigen opstaan'. Failure is the only direction here.
Because it mimics the physical collapse of a barrel falling to the floor.
Yes, very much so. You'll see it in the news almost every day.
Only if you mean their life or plans. 'Hij valt in duigen' is rare; 'Zijn leven valt in duigen' is common.
'In de soep lopen' is more about a process going wrong/messy. 'In duigen vallen' is about the total end of a plan.
Yes, always 'duigen'.
Verwandte Redewendungen
in het water vallen
similarTo fail (often due to weather/external factors)
op de klippen lopen
similarTo fail (specifically for relationships/negotiations)
in de soep lopen
similarTo go wrong/become a mess
tot mislukking gedoemd zijn
builds onTo be doomed to failure
de hoop opgeven
contrastTo give up hope
