Signification
Doing something to pass time while waiting.
Contexte culturel
The Dutch are very punctual. If they have to wait, they feel they are losing efficiency, so 'killing time' is a way to cope with the frustration of waiting. In Flanders, you might also hear 'de tijd verdrijven' more often in formal contexts, but 'de tijd doden' is perfectly understood and used. In the modern era, 'de tijd doden' is almost synonymous with using a smartphone. It's the universal Dutch answer for why you're on your phone in public. Dutch work culture values 'nuttig zijn' (being useful). Admitting to 'killing time' at work is a sign that you have too little to do, which can be seen as a negative.
Use with 'met'
Always use 'met' to describe the activity: 'de tijd doden MET een spelletje'.
Not for people
Never say you are 'killing time' with a person you like; it sounds like they are a boring distraction.
Signification
Doing something to pass time while waiting.
Use with 'met'
Always use 'met' to describe the activity: 'de tijd doden MET een spelletje'.
Not for people
Never say you are 'killing time' with a person you like; it sounds like they are a boring distraction.
The 'om... te' structure
Master the 'om de tijd te doden' structure to sound like a native speaker at the end of sentences.
Teste-toi
Vul het juiste woord in.
Ik lees een boek om de tijd te ___.
The idiom is 'de tijd doden'.
Welke zin is correct?
We wachten op de trein.
Option 'a' uses the idiom correctly with the preposition 'met'.
In welke situatie gebruik je 'de tijd doden'?
Kies de beste situatie.
You kill time when you are waiting for something, like a delayed flight.
Maak de dialoog af.
A: Wat doe je op je telefoon? B: Niets bijzonders, ik ___.
'Dood gewoon wat tijd' is a very natural way to say you're just passing time.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
How to Kill Time
Digital
- • Social media
- • Games
- • Podcasts
Classic
- • Reading
- • Crosswords
- • Writing
Social
- • Coffee
- • Chatting
- • People watching
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesIk lees een boek om de tijd te ___.
The idiom is 'de tijd doden'.
We wachten op de trein.
Option 'a' uses the idiom correctly with the preposition 'met'.
Kies de beste situatie.
You kill time when you are waiting for something, like a delayed flight.
A: Wat doe je op je telefoon? B: Niets bijzonders, ik ___.
'Dood gewoon wat tijd' is a very natural way to say you're just passing time.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsNo, it's neutral. It just means you are waiting. However, don't say it to someone who is hosting you!
Usually, you include 'de'. 'Ik dood de tijd' is the standard form.
'Doden' is 'to kill' (general), 'vermoorden' is 'to murder' (crime). You never 'murder' time.
Only informally with colleagues. In a meeting, say 'wachten'.
Say: 'Ik ben gewoon wat tijd aan het doden.'
Young people might say 'tijd killen', using the English word.
Usually, it's for short periods (minutes or hours). For a week, you'd say 'de week doorkomen'.
It is always 'de tijd'.
Ik doodde de tijd (singular) or Wij doodden de tijd (plural).
Yes, especially in descriptions of travel or boredom.
Expressions liées
Tijd verdrijven
synonymTo pass the time
Tijd verspillen
contrastTo waste time
De tijd vliegt
similarTime flies
Tijd over hebben
builds onTo have time left over
