A1 Collocation Neutral

Afstand houden.

Keep distance.

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Afstand houden means maintaining a physical or social gap between yourself and others.

  • Means: To keep a physical or social distance from someone or something.
  • Used in: Public transport, queues, health guidelines, or setting personal boundaries.
  • Don't confuse: 'Afstand nemen' (to emotionally distance oneself) with 'Afstand houden' (physical space).
Person + Space + Person = Respectful interaction

Explanation at your level:

Afstand houden means to keep space between you and other people. You use it when you are in a line or walking.
This phrase is used to tell someone to stay away or to describe that you are keeping a safe distance. It is common in traffic, shops, and social situations to show respect or safety.
Beyond physical safety, 'afstand houden' can describe maintaining professional boundaries. It is a versatile collocation used in both formal instructions and personal descriptions of interpersonal relationships.
The phrase functions as a standard collocation for both physical and metaphorical distancing. It is frequently employed in formal discourse regarding public health or corporate management, where maintaining a 'professional distance' is a key expectation.
Linguistically, 'afstand houden' serves as a fixed collocation that bridges the gap between concrete spatial orientation and abstract social positioning. Its usage is highly context-dependent, shifting from a literal imperative in public spaces to a nuanced descriptor of emotional detachment in social psychology.
From a cognitive perspective, 'afstand houden' maps the spatial domain onto the social domain. It reflects a cultural preference for 'low-context' communication where boundaries are explicitly defined. The phrase's evolution from a nautical imperative to a ubiquitous social norm illustrates the fluidity of language in response to societal crises.

Bedeutung

Physical or social distancing.

🌍

Kultureller Hintergrund

Very direct. If you are too close, they will tell you. Slightly more indirect, but still values personal space.

💡

Imperative form

Always use 'Houd' with a 'd' when telling someone to do it.

Bedeutung

Physical or social distancing.

💡

Imperative form

Always use 'Houd' with a 'd' when telling someone to do it.

Teste dich selbst

Fill in the correct verb.

Je moet in de rij ______ ______.

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: afstand houden

The correct collocation for physical space is 'afstand houden'.

🎉 Ergebnis: /1

Visuelle Lernhilfen

Häufig gestellte Fragen

1 Fragen

No, it is a standard safety instruction.

Verwandte Redewendungen

🔗

Afstand nemen

contrast

To step back emotionally

Wo du es verwendest

🛒

Supermarket queue

Customer: Sorry, ik houd even afstand.

neutral
💼

Work meeting

Manager: We moeten professionele afstand houden.

formal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Imagine a 'Distance' sign with a 'Hand' (Houden) on it. You are holding the distance with your hand.

Visual Association

A person standing in a circle, holding their arms out to ensure no one enters their bubble.

Rhyme

Afstand houden, niet te nauw, dat is beter voor jou.

Story

Jan is in the supermarket. He sees a long line. He remembers his teacher's advice: 'Afstand houden!' He takes a step back. The person behind him smiles. Jan feels proud of his Dutch.

Word Web

ruimtegrensveiligheidrespectdichtbijver

Herausforderung

Next time you are in a queue, silently say 'Ik houd afstand' to yourself.

In Other Languages

Spanish high

Mantener la distancia

None, it is a direct equivalent.

French high

Garder ses distances

French often uses the plural 'distances'.

German high

Abstand halten

None.

Japanese moderate

距離を保つ (Kyori o tamotsu)

Cultural nuance of 'distance' is often more implicit in Japan.

Arabic moderate

حافظ على مسافة (Hafiz 'ala masafa)

Uses a prepositional phrase.

Chinese high

保持距离 (Bǎochí jùlí)

None.

Korean moderate

거리를 두다 (Geori-reul duda)

The verb choice reflects a different physical action.

Portuguese high

Manter distância

None.

Easily Confused

Afstand houden. vs. Afstand nemen

Both use 'afstand'.

If it's about a person or a project, it's 'nemen'. If it's about space, it's 'houden'.

FAQ (1)

No, it is a standard safety instruction.

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