Meaning
To fail or go wrong.
Cultural Background
The Dutch are obsessed with weather because it changes so fast. Fog is common in the polders, making this idiom very grounded in daily life. In Dutch meetings, being direct about failure is valued. Saying 'We gingen de mist in' is seen as honest and professional. Many Dutch idioms come from the 'Gouden Eeuw' (Golden Age) of sailing. This phrase is a linguistic fossil of that era.
Use with 'volledig'
To sound more native, add 'volledig' (completely) or 'totaal' (totally) to emphasize the failure.
Auxiliary Verb
Never use 'hebben' with this phrase in the perfect tense. It's always 'is/zijn de mist in gegaan'.
Meaning
To fail or go wrong.
Use with 'volledig'
To sound more native, add 'volledig' (completely) or 'totaal' (totally) to emphasize the failure.
Auxiliary Verb
Never use 'hebben' with this phrase in the perfect tense. It's always 'is/zijn de mist in gegaan'.
Directness
Don't be afraid to use this in a professional setting; it's considered clear and honest, not rude.
Test Yourself
Vul de juiste vorm van 'gaan' en het idioom in.
Gisteren ___ mijn presentatie volledig de ___ ___.
Because the sentence starts with 'Gisteren' (Yesterday), we need the past tense 'ging'.
Welke zin is grammaticaal correct?
A) Het plan heeft de mist in gegaan. B) Het plan is de mist in gegaan.
The idiom uses 'zijn' as the auxiliary verb.
Match de situatie met de zin.
Situatie: Je vergeet de suiker in een taart.
'De mist in gaan' is for mistakes; 'de boot in gaan' is for being cheated.
🎉 Score: /3
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
3 exercisesGisteren ___ mijn presentatie volledig de ___ ___.
Because the sentence starts with 'Gisteren' (Yesterday), we need the past tense 'ging'.
A) Het plan heeft de mist in gegaan. B) Het plan is de mist in gegaan.
The idiom uses 'zijn' as the auxiliary verb.
Situatie: Je vergeet de suiker in een taart.
'De mist in gaan' is for mistakes; 'de boot in gaan' is for being cheated.
🎉 Score: /3
Frequently Asked Questions
5 questionsYes, 'Hij ging de mist in' means he made a mistake or failed.
It's acceptable in journalism and business reports, but use 'mislukken' for legal or academic papers.
'In de soep lopen' is more informal and implies a mess or chaos, while 'de mist in gaan' implies a wrong turn or error.
Usually, yes. It implies that with better clarity or planning, the failure could have been avoided.
Only if you are literally on a boat. For figurative failure, always use 'gaan'.
Related Phrases
De fout in gaan
synonymTo make a mistake
In de soep lopen
similarTo go wrong / become a mess
De boot in gaan
confusingTo be cheated or make a bad deal
Bakzeil halen
builds onTo admit defeat
