Significado
To work extremely hard.
Contexto cultural
The phrase reflects the 'aanpakken' mentality. Dutch people value directness and hard work without too much fuss. While understood, Flemish speakers might use 'werken als een paard' (work like a horse) more frequently in casual speech. In Dutch startups, this phrase is often used with pride to show 'hustle'. It's a common part of the 'work hard, play hard' narrative. The imagery of the 'slag' is still very resonant in rural areas where windmills and manual farming were the backbone of the economy.
The Reflexive Rule
Always check your subject! If it's 'ik', use 'me'. If it's 'wij', use 'ons'. This is the #1 mistake for learners.
Don't be too formal
Avoid using this in a letter to a judge or a formal academic paper. It's for the office and the dinner table.
Significado
To work extremely hard.
The Reflexive Rule
Always check your subject! If it's 'ik', use 'me'. If it's 'wij', use 'ons'. This is the #1 mistake for learners.
Don't be too formal
Avoid using this in a letter to a judge or a formal academic paper. It's for the office and the dinner table.
Use it for sympathy
If you want a Dutch person to feel sorry for you because you're busy, this is the magic phrase.
Teste-se
Fill in the correct reflexive pronoun.
Wij werken ___ een slag in de rondte om de deadline te halen.
The subject is 'Wij', so the reflexive pronoun must be 'ons'.
What does this phrase mean?
Wat betekent 'zich een slag in de rondte werken'?
The phrase is an idiom for working extremely hard.
Complete the dialogue with the correct form of the phrase.
A: Waarom ben je zo moe? B: Ik ____ gisteren ____ een slag in de rondte ____.
The perfect tense is 'heb me gewerkt'.
Match the situation to the most appropriate use of the phrase.
In welke situatie gebruik je deze uitdrukking?
The phrase implies intense, prolonged effort.
🎉 Pontuação: /4
Recursos visuais
Banco de exercicios
4 exerciciosWij werken ___ een slag in de rondte om de deadline te halen.
The subject is 'Wij', so the reflexive pronoun must be 'ons'.
Wat betekent 'zich een slag in de rondte werken'?
The phrase is an idiom for working extremely hard.
A: Waarom ben je zo moe? B: Ik ____ gisteren ____ een slag in de rondte ____.
The perfect tense is 'heb me gewerkt'.
In welke situatie gebruik je deze uitdrukking?
The phrase implies intense, prolonged effort.
🎉 Pontuação: /4
Perguntas frequentes
5 perguntasYes, but it's mostly used in this idiom. In modern Dutch, we usually say 'ronde' for a circle or a round.
Absolutely! 'Ik werk me een slag in de rondte voor mijn examens' is very common.
Not at all. It's informal, but it's not a swear word. It's safe for work.
Yes! That means you are running around being very busy with many different tasks.
'Hard werken' is neutral. 'Zich een slag in de rondte werken' is more dramatic and emphasizes the intensity.
Frases relacionadas
zich uit de naad werken
synonymTo work extremely hard (literally: out of the seam).
hard aan de weg timmeren
similarTo be very active and successful in one's field.
de handen uit de mouwen steken
builds onTo roll up one's sleeves and get to work.
zich het leplazarus werken
synonymTo work oneself to death/exhaustion.
