मतलब
To put in a great amount of effort.
सांस्कृतिक पृष्ठभूमि
The Dutch 'borrel' (after-work drinks) is a common place to hear this phrase. It's a way for colleagues to bond over shared stress. In Flanders, the phrase is also used, but you might also hear 'zich uit de naad werken' replaced by 'zich uit de naad zweten' (to sweat one's tail off). Rotterdammers are known for their 'no-nonsense' work ethic. They might prefer even stronger versions like 'zich de tering werken'. Dutch students use this phrase frequently during 'tentamenweek' (exam week) to describe their intense study schedules.
Use with 'helemaal'
Add 'helemaal' (completely) before 'uit de naad' to sound even more native and emphatic: 'Ik werk me helemaal uit de naad!'
Reflexive Pronouns
The biggest mistake is forgetting 'me/je/zich'. Always double-check your subject-pronoun pairing.
मतलब
To put in a great amount of effort.
Use with 'helemaal'
Add 'helemaal' (completely) before 'uit de naad' to sound even more native and emphatic: 'Ik werk me helemaal uit de naad!'
Reflexive Pronouns
The biggest mistake is forgetting 'me/je/zich'. Always double-check your subject-pronoun pairing.
Complaining is Bonding
In the Netherlands, using this phrase to complain about work is a great way to build rapport with colleagues.
खुद को परखो
Fill in the correct reflexive pronoun.
Wij werken ___ uit de naad voor het examen.
The subject is 'Wij', so the reflexive pronoun must be 'ons'.
Which sentence is correct?
Choose the correct idiom usage:
The fixed preposition for this idiom is 'uit'.
Complete the dialogue with the correct form of the idiom.
A: Waarom ben je zo moe? B: Ik ____ gisteren de hele dag ____.
The past tense requires 'heb' + reflexive pronoun 'me' + past participle 'gewerkt'.
Match the situation to the most appropriate phrase.
You are telling a close friend about your stressful week at your new job.
This idiom perfectly conveys the stress and high effort of a busy week in an informal setting.
🎉 स्कोर: /4
विज़ुअल लर्निंग टूल्स
अभ्यास बैंक
4 अभ्यासWij werken ___ uit de naad voor het examen.
The subject is 'Wij', so the reflexive pronoun must be 'ons'.
Choose the correct idiom usage:
The fixed preposition for this idiom is 'uit'.
A: Waarom ben je zo moe? B: Ik ____ gisteren de hele dag ____.
The past tense requires 'heb' + reflexive pronoun 'me' + past participle 'gewerkt'.
You are telling a close friend about your stressful week at your new job.
This idiom perfectly conveys the stress and high effort of a busy week in an informal setting.
🎉 स्कोर: /4
अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल
10 सवालNo, it's not rude, but it is informal. You can use it with friends and colleagues, but avoid it in very formal settings.
Yes! You can use it for sports, studying, or any activity that requires a lot of effort.
'Hard werken' is neutral. 'Zich uit de naad werken' is more colorful and emphasizes that you are working to your absolute limit.
Yes, it is a reflexive idiom. Without the reflexive pronoun, the sentence is incomplete.
Yes, it is common in both the Netherlands and Flanders.
No, the word order is fixed: 'zich uit de naad werken'.
No, it literally means 'seam'. In some slang contexts it can refer to the buttocks, but in this idiom, it's perfectly acceptable.
Use 'heb/heeft' + reflexive pronoun + 'uit de naad gewerkt'. Example: 'Hij heeft zich uit de naad gewerkt.'
Yes: 'Wij werken ons uit de naad.'
You could say 'Ik zet me volledig in' or 'Ik span me tot het uiterste in'.
संबंधित मुहावरे
hard werken
similarTo work hard
zich uit de naad lopen
variationTo run/work extremely hard
de handen uit de mouwen steken
similarTo roll up one's sleeves
zich het schompes werken
synonymTo work oneself to death
bezig zijn als een bij
similarBusy as a bee
