verdrietig
/vərˈdri.təx/
The Dutch word for sad is verdrietig. Wiktionary also lists triest and rouwig.
Meaning: feeling sorrow (adj)
Ways to say it
| Dutch | IPA |
|---|---|
| verdrietig | /vərˈdri.təx/ |
| triest | |
| rouwig |
The term is used to describe the feeling of sorrow or a person's internal emotional state of being sad.
Which one should you use?
While verdrietig describes a person's internal emotional state, triest is often used to describe a situation or thing that is pathetic, wretched or evokes pity. For a heavy, formal sense of grief or mourning, particularly in relation to death, use rouwig.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using verdrietig before a common gender noun (a de-word), add an -e to form verdrietige. Similarly, when using triest before a common gender noun, add an -e to form trieste.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has three syllables, with the stress on the second syllable: /vərˈdri.təx/.
Did you know?
- In casual Dutch, triest is often used as a slang term to describe someone who is 'pathetic' or 'cringe'. In this context, it is a judgment of character rather than a description of emotion.
- The word triest comes from the Latin tristis, making it a distant relative of the French word triste.
- When someone is very sad, a Dutch speaker might say they have een zwaar hart, which translates literally to 'a heavy heart'.
Examples in context
- Het is zo triest.It's all so sad.This sentence demonstrates how to use triest to describe a situation.Tatoeba #10736692 by megamanenm, translation #3172043 by CM
- Deze zin is triest.This sentence is sad.This sentence shows triest being used to describe a specific thing.Tatoeba #7684091 by MarijnKp, translation #2915171 by Hybrid
- Dit is echt triest.This really is sad.This sentence provides emphasis when using triest.Tatoeba #11569168 by megamanenm, translation #4494978 by CK
- Ik ben bedroefd door het verlies van mijn geliefde.I am sad due to the loss of my beloved.
- Hij is treurig na de begrafenis van zijn vriend.He is sad after his friend's funeral.
- De student was droevig na het horen van zijn slechte resultaten.The student was sad after hearing his poor results.
- Ik voel me verdrietig omdat ik mijn beste vriend een tijdje niet ga zien.I feel sad because I won't see my best friend for a while.
- Het is triest dat ze haar droom niet heeft kunnen waarmaken.It is sad that she couldn't fulfill her dream.
- 79 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Levi and Julia are talking about a movie they just watched.
- LeviHet was een erg verdrietig einde.It was a very sad ending.
- JuliaJa, ik werd er een beetje verdrietig van.Yes, it made me a little sad.
- LeviDe hoofdpersoon had ook veel pech.The main character also had a lot of bad luck.
- JuliaDat klopt, het was een echt drama.That's true, it was a real drama.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sad” translations and entries verdrietig, triest, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries triest, verdrietig, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
