Extra Information for
The Truth Was Different
These graphics are provided to help you keep track of the various people, places, and words in The Truth Was Different. Because it’s a true story about a real person who lived in a real place at a real time, it can get complicated. This will make it easy.
What Happened When
Where Rita Lived and Worked
Glossary of Foreign Terms
Dutch, French, German, and Yiddish expressions appearing in The Truth Was Different.
| Word or expression | English translation | Approximate pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Alsjeblieft; alstublieft | Please (informal; formal) | AHL-shuh-BLEEFT; AHL-stoo-BLEEFT |
| Bakfiets | Cargo bicycle or cargo tricycle | BAHK-feets |
| Bedankt | Thanks | buh-DAHNGKT |
| Dag | Hello; goodbye | dahkh |
| Dank je wel; dank u wel | Thank you very much (informal; formal) | DAHNK yuh vel; DAHNK ew vel |
| De oorlog | The war | duh OHR-lohkh |
| Docteur; dokter | Doctor (French; Dutch) | dok-TUHR; DOK-tuhr |
| Fl. | Guilder; abbreviation from florin | Not normally spoken as a word |
| Garçon | Boy; waiter (French) | gar-SOHN (nasal ending) |
| Geen sprake van | Absolutely not; out of the question | khayn SPRAH-kuh vahn |
| Geld | Money (Dutch; also German) | khelt |
| Gezellig; gezelligheid | Cozy, sociable, pleasant; coziness or conviviality | khuh-ZEL-ikh; khuh-ZEL-ikh-hayt |
| Goedemorgen; goedemiddag | Good morning; good afternoon | KHOO-duh-MOR-khuhn; KHOO-duh-MID-ahkh |
| Het kindertehuis | The children’s home | hut KIN-duhr-tuh-hœys |
| Het Verzet | The Resistance | hut vuhr-ZET |
| Horloges | Watches; clocks (French) | or-LOZH |
| Ja; oui | Yes (Dutch; French) | yah; wee |
| Jazeker | Certainly; absolutely | yah-ZAY-kuhr |
| Je t’aime (aussi) | I love you (too) (French) | zhuh TEM (oh-SEE) |
| Jood; Joden; Joods; Joodse | Jew; Jews; Jewish (adjective forms) | yoht; YOH-duhn; yohts; YOH-tsuh |
| Juffrouw; juf; Fräulein | Miss; female teacher (Dutch); Miss (German) | YUF-frow; yuf; FROY-line |
| Kerel | Fellow; guy; dude | KAY-ruhl |
| Klootzak | Bastard; asshole (vulgar) | KLOHT-zahk |
| LO | Landelijke Organisatie: Dutch resistance network | el-OH (letters) |
| Ma chérie; schatje | My darling; sweetheart (French; Dutch) | mah shay-REE; SKHAHT-yuh |
| Meester | Male teacher; master | MAY-stuhr |
| Meneer | Mr.; sir | muh-NEER |
| Mesjogge | Crazy; insane (Dutch, from Yiddish) | muh-SHOKH-uh |
| Mevrouw; mevr.; Frau | Mrs.; madam (Dutch; German) | muh-FROW; muh-FROW; frow |
| Moeder | Mother | MOO-duhr |
| Moffen; Mof | Derogatory words for Germans; Krauts | MOF-uhn; mof |
| Montre-moi | Show me (French) | MOHN-truh MWAH |
| Natuurlijk | Of course | nah-TUUR-luhk |
| Nee; non; nein | No (Dutch; French; German) | nay; nohn (nasal); nine |
| NSB; NSB’er | Dutch National Socialist Movement; member or Nazi collaborator | en-es-BAY; en-es-BAY-uhr |
| Oma | Grandmother | OH-mah |
| Oom | Uncle | ohm |
| Opa | Grandfather | OH-pah |
| SD | Sicherheitsdienst: Nazi intelligence and security service | es-DAY (Dutch letters) |
| Speculaas(je) | Spiced cookie (small spiced cookie) | spay-koo-LAHS(-yuh) |
| SS | Schutzstaffel: Nazi paramilitary organization | es-es (letters) |
| Stiekem | Secretly; on the sly (Dutch) | STEE-kuhm |
| Tante | Aunt | TAHN-tuh |
| Toges | Bottom; buttocks (Yiddish-derived; often spelled tuches) | TOO-khuhs |
| Trut | Stupid woman; bitch (insult) | trut (short Dutch u) |
| Vuile rotmoffen | Dirty rotten Krauts (highly offensive) | VŒY-luh ROT-mof-uhn |
| Wat | What | vaht |
| Welterusten | Good night (said before sleep) | vel-tuh-RUS-tuhn |
No matching words found. Try a different search.
Pronunciations are simplified guides for English-speaking readers, not formal phonetic transcriptions. Capital letters indicate the stressed syllable. The Dutch g and ch are often pronounced with a throaty sound that has no exact English equivalent. Historical insults are included to clarify their meaning in context.
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