B1 Expression 격식체

op zijn retour zijn

to be past one's prime

To be declining in quality or health.

🌍

문화적 배경

Dutch football analysts are famous for being very direct. They often use 'op zijn retour' to describe national heroes like Arjen Robben or Wesley Sneijder in their final seasons. It's seen as 'honest' rather than 'disrespectful.' In Dutch business, acknowledging that a product is 'op zijn retour' is a sign of good management. It means you are ready to innovate rather than clinging to the past. In Flanders, the phrase is also used but sometimes 'over zijn hoogtepunt' is preferred in casual speech. However, in formal Belgian news (VRT), 'op zijn retour' is perfectly standard. The Dutch media often uses this phrase to describe the 'Verzuiling' (pillarization) of society—the old system of religious and political blocks that is now largely a thing of the past.

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Match the Pronoun

Always check your subject. If you say 'De bedrijven zijn op zijn retour,' it's a grammar error. It must be 'hun retour.'

⚠️

Not for Travel

Don't use this to say you are returning from vacation. Use 'Ik kom terug van vakantie.'

To be declining in quality or health.

🎯

Match the Pronoun

Always check your subject. If you say 'De bedrijven zijn op zijn retour,' it's a grammar error. It must be 'hun retour.'

⚠️

Not for Travel

Don't use this to say you are returning from vacation. Use 'Ik kom terug van vakantie.'

💬

Polite Decline

Use this phrase when you want to be critical of someone's performance without being mean. It sounds more like a 'fact of life.'

셀프 테스트

Fill in the correct possessive pronoun.

Wij hebben jarenlang gewonnen, maar nu zijn we op ______ retour.

✓ 정답! ✗ 아쉬워요. 정답: onze

The subject is 'Wij' (we), so the possessive pronoun must be 'onze' (our).

Which sentence is the most natural use of the phrase?

A) Ik ben op mijn retour naar huis. B) Die oude Nokia-telefoons zijn echt op hun retour. C) De trein is op zijn retour van Amsterdam.

✓ 정답! ✗ 아쉬워요. 정답: B

Sentence B uses the figurative meaning (outdated technology). A and C use it literally, which is rare and usually incorrect in modern Dutch.

Complete the dialogue.

A: Ga je nog naar dat café op de hoek? B: Nee, de bediening is slecht en het is er altijd leeg. Dat café is ______.

✓ 정답! ✗ 아쉬워요. 정답: op zijn retour

The context of declining quality and popularity perfectly fits 'op zijn retour.'

Match the subject with the correct form of the phrase.

1. De zangeres / 2. De sporters / 3. Ik / 4. Jij

✓ 정답! ✗ 아쉬워요. 정답: 1-C, 2-A, 3-B, 4-D

Each subject requires a matching possessive pronoun.

🎉 점수: /4

시각 학습 자료

연습 문제 은행

4 연습 문제
Fill in the correct possessive pronoun. Fill Blank B1

Wij hebben jarenlang gewonnen, maar nu zijn we op ______ retour.

✓ 정답! ✗ 아쉬워요. 정답: onze

The subject is 'Wij' (we), so the possessive pronoun must be 'onze' (our).

Which sentence is the most natural use of the phrase? Choose B1

A) Ik ben op mijn retour naar huis. B) Die oude Nokia-telefoons zijn echt op hun retour. C) De trein is op zijn retour van Amsterdam.

✓ 정답! ✗ 아쉬워요. 정답: B

Sentence B uses the figurative meaning (outdated technology). A and C use it literally, which is rare and usually incorrect in modern Dutch.

Complete the dialogue. dialogue_completion B1

A: Ga je nog naar dat café op de hoek? B: Nee, de bediening is slecht en het is er altijd leeg. Dat café is ______.

✓ 정답! ✗ 아쉬워요. 정답: op zijn retour

The context of declining quality and popularity perfectly fits 'op zijn retour.'

Match the subject with the correct form of the phrase. Match B1

왼쪽의 각 항목을 오른쪽의 짝과 연결하세요:

✓ 정답! ✗ 아쉬워요. 정답: 1-C, 2-A, 3-B, 4-D

Each subject requires a matching possessive pronoun.

🎉 점수: /4

자주 묻는 질문

12 질문

Yes, but it's formal and a bit detached. It's better used when talking to a doctor or about someone else, rather than directly to the person.

It functions as a noun in this prepositional phrase ('op' + possessive + 'retour').

It is always 'op'. Using 'in' is a common mistake for English speakers.

Yes! If you feel like you are losing your energy or skills, you can say it about yourself.

Not necessarily. It usually just means they are past their best years of activity or health.

Yes, it is standard Dutch and used throughout the Netherlands and Flanders.

Absolutely. It's very common in business news to describe companies losing market share.

Phrases like 'in de lift zitten' or 'aan een opmars bezig zijn'.

Yes, it can be. It implies they are no longer good at their job. Use it with caution in the office.

No, you wouldn't say the rain is 'op zijn retour.' You would say 'de regen neemt af.'

Yes. 'Zij is op haar retour.'

No, it has been used for over 200 years.

관련 표현

🔄

Over zijn hoogtepunt heen zijn

synonym

To be past one's peak.

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Zijn beste tijd gehad hebben

similar

To have had one's best time.

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In verval raken

similar

To fall into decay.

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Aan de winnende hand zijn

contrast

To be winning/on the rise.

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In de lift zitten

contrast

To be on the rise/increasing in popularity.

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