hou je haaks
The English phrase "take care" can be translated into Dutch as hou je haaks or het ga je goed.
Meaning: good-bye (intj)
Ways to say it
| Dutch |
|---|
| hou je haaks |
| het ga je goed |
These phrases are used as a way to say good-bye while wishing someone well. While they express the sentiment of "take care", they are distinct from the verb zorgen, which means to be in charge of something.
What does it mean word for word?
The expression hou je haaks literally means "keep yourself perpendicular" or "keep yourself upright".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Hou je haaks is an informal and colloquial expression used among friends or acquaintances. For a more polite and formal way to say "Take care" in Dutch, you can use Zorg goed voor uzelf.
Related words
Did you know?
- The phrase het ga je goed uses an archaic word order called the 'subjunctive' mood, which expresses a wish or a hope rather than a statement of fact.
- In Flanders, Belgium, you might hear hou je haaks less frequently than in the Netherlands, as regional variations in colloquial good-byes are common.
- The word het in the formal phrase het ga je goed is a linguistic survivor of a historical contraction from Middle Dutch, where 'dat' evolved into the modern 'het' we see today.
Examples in context
- Het ga je goed.Take care.The sentence is useful for seeing how to use the form het ga je goed.Tatoeba #11135660 by doemaar14, translation #20362 by TATAR1
- Hou je haaks.Take care of yourself.The sentence is useful for seeing how to use the form hou je haaks.Tatoeba #8437867 by Elsofie, translation #64257 by CK
- Het was fijn om met je samen te werken. Pas goed op jezelf!It was great working with you. Take good care of yourself!
- Ik ga nu, maar let goed op jezelf!I'm leaving now, but take care of yourself!
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Levi are parting ways at the train station.
- EmmaIk ga nu echt mijn trein halen.I really have to catch my train now.
- LeviGeen probleem, hou je haaks!No problem, take care!
- EmmaDank je, jij ook!Thanks, you too!
- LeviTot de volgende keer!See you next time!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “take care” translations and entries hou je haaks, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries goed, het, hou, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
