B2 Expression Neutral

de kop opsteken

to emerge

Significado

When a problem appears.

🌍

Contexto cultural

The Dutch use this phrase frequently in 'polder' politics to describe social tensions that threaten national consensus. In Flanders, the phrase is equally common and used in the same way, often in political discourse regarding language tensions. In Dutch corporate culture, being 'direct' means addressing problems as soon as they 'de kop opsteken' rather than letting them linger. Dutch doctors use this to normalize the recurrence of chronic issues, making the problem feel like an external 'pest' rather than a personal failure.

🎯

Use it for News

If you want to sound like a native speaker when discussing politics or the economy, use this instead of 'verschijnen' (to appear).

⚠️

Negative Only!

Remember, if you use this for a positive thing, Dutch people will think you are being sarcastic or that you actually dislike the thing.

Significado

When a problem appears.

🎯

Use it for News

If you want to sound like a native speaker when discussing politics or the economy, use this instead of 'verschijnen' (to appear).

⚠️

Negative Only!

Remember, if you use this for a positive thing, Dutch people will think you are being sarcastic or that you actually dislike the thing.

💬

Kop vs Hoofd

Using 'kop' reinforces the idea that the problem is a nuisance, like a weed or a pest.

Ponte a prueba

Vul de juiste vorm van het werkwoord 'opsteken' in.

Vorig jaar ___ de inflatie plotseling de kop ___.

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: stak ... op

The sentence starts with 'Vorig jaar' (Last year), so we need the past tense (OVT) of the separable verb 'opsteken'.

In welke situatie is deze uitdrukking CORRECT gebruikt?

Kies het juiste antwoord:

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: Het oude conflict tussen de buren steekt weer de kop op.

The phrase is only used for negative things like conflicts, illnesses, or problems.

Maak de dialoog af.

A: 'Ik dacht dat de computer gefixt was.' B: 'Ik ook, maar ___.'

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: de foutmelding steekt weer de kop op

This fits the context of a recurring technical problem.

Combineer het onderwerp met de juiste zin.

Match de onderwerpen:

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: all

All these negative subjects work perfectly with the idiom.

🎉 Puntuación: /4

Ayudas visuales

Common Subjects for 'De Kop Opsteken'

🤒

Health

  • Griep
  • Rugpijn
  • Migraine
🌍

Society

  • Inflatie
  • Racisme
  • Onrust
💻

Work

  • Bugs
  • Conflict
  • Stress

Banco de ejercicios

4 ejercicios
Vul de juiste vorm van het werkwoord 'opsteken' in. Fill Blank B1

Vorig jaar ___ de inflatie plotseling de kop ___.

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: stak ... op

The sentence starts with 'Vorig jaar' (Last year), so we need the past tense (OVT) of the separable verb 'opsteken'.

In welke situatie is deze uitdrukking CORRECT gebruikt? Choose B2

Kies het juiste antwoord:

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: Het oude conflict tussen de buren steekt weer de kop op.

The phrase is only used for negative things like conflicts, illnesses, or problems.

Maak de dialoog af. dialogue_completion B1

A: 'Ik dacht dat de computer gefixt was.' B: 'Ik ook, maar ___.'

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: de foutmelding steekt weer de kop op

This fits the context of a recurring technical problem.

Combineer het onderwerp met de juiste zin. Match B2

Empareja cada elemento de la izquierda con su par de la derecha:

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: all

All these negative subjects work perfectly with the idiom.

🎉 Puntuación: /4

Preguntas frecuentes

4 preguntas

No, that is grammatically correct but idiomatically wrong. It sounds very unnatural to a native speaker.

It is neutral. You can use it in a newspaper, a business report, or when talking to a friend about your cold.

Only if you think that person is a recurring problem! Usually, it is used for abstract things like issues, illnesses, or trends.

The past tense is 'stak de kop op' and the perfect tense is 'heeft de kop opgestoken'.

Frases relacionadas

🔗

de kop indrukken

contrast

To suppress a problem immediately.

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tevoorschijn komen

similar

To appear / to come forward.

🔗

opspelen

similar

To act up (usually of an illness or a part of the body).

🔗

het hoofd bieden aan

contrast

To face/resist a problem.

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