Signification
it is impossible to predict the future.
Contexte culturel
The Dutch are world-famous for their 'agenda' culture. Everything is planned weeks in advance. Using 'koffiedik kijken' is a rare moment where a Dutch person admits that planning is impossible. In Dutch meetings, being direct is valued. Saying 'I don't know' can sometimes feel weak, but saying 'Dat is koffiedik kijken' sounds like a professional assessment of risk. Tasseography was actually banned by some churches in the past as a form of witchcraft, which might be why the idiom has a slightly skeptical or mocking tone today. Dutch news anchors often use this phrase when interviewing experts to signal to the audience that the expert is about to speculate.
Use 'nog'
Adding 'nog' (still) makes you sound much more native: 'Het is nog koffiedik kijken.'
Don't conjugate
Never say 'Ik kijk koffiedik'. Always keep it as 'Het is... kijken'.
Signification
it is impossible to predict the future.
Use 'nog'
Adding 'nog' (still) makes you sound much more native: 'Het is nog koffiedik kijken.'
Don't conjugate
Never say 'Ik kijk koffiedik'. Always keep it as 'Het is... kijken'.
The 'Poeh' factor
Dutch people often start this sentence with 'Poeh...' or 'Tja...' to emphasize the difficulty of the question.
Teste-toi
Vul de ontbrekende woorden in om de zin af te maken.
Of het morgen gaat sneeuwen is op dit moment nog ______ ______.
The standard idiom is 'koffiedik kijken'.
Welke zin is grammaticaal correct?
Kies de juiste optie:
The idiom is an impersonal construction using 'Het is' and the infinitive 'kijken'.
In welke situatie zou je 'koffiedik kijken' NIET gebruiken?
Kies de situatie:
You don't use the idiom for certainties or logical facts.
Maak de dialoog af.
A: 'Denk je dat de huizenprijzen volgend jaar gaan dalen?' B: 'Poeh, dat is ______.'
Predicting house prices is a classic example of uncertainty.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesOf het morgen gaat sneeuwen is op dit moment nog ______ ______.
The standard idiom is 'koffiedik kijken'.
Kies de juiste optie:
The idiom is an impersonal construction using 'Het is' and the infinitive 'kijken'.
Kies de situatie:
You don't use the idiom for certainties or logical facts.
A: 'Denk je dat de huizenprijzen volgend jaar gaan dalen?' B: 'Poeh, dat is ______.'
Predicting house prices is a classic example of uncertainty.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
8 questionsNot at all! It's a very normal, neutral way to say you don't know the answer to a prediction.
Yes, it's perfect for professional emails when discussing project timelines or market trends.
It's the wet, sandy-looking stuff left at the bottom of your cup after you drink coffee.
You can say 'Dat is koffiedik,' but 'koffiedik kijken' is much more common.
Yes, though they might also use English terms like 'no clue', this idiom remains very popular across all ages.
No, it's strictly for future predictions or unknown current states.
It is always one word: 'koffiedik'.
Yes, it is common in both the Netherlands and Flanders.
Expressions liées
in een glazen bol kijken
synonymto look into a crystal ball
een slag in de lucht slaan
similarto make a wild guess
het staat in de sterren geschreven
contrastit is written in the stars
geen peil op te trekken
similarimpossible to gauge/predict
