onkruid
/ˈɔŋ.krœy̯t/neuter
The English phrase "weed" translates to Dutch as onkruid. If unsure, use onkruid. Wiktionary also lists wied.
Meaning: unwanted plant (noun)
Ways to say it
| Dutch | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| onkruid | /ˈɔŋ.krœy̯t/ | neuter |
| wied | /ʋit/ | Suriname, neuter |
The word is used to describe an unwanted plant. To express the action of weeding, use the verbal phrase onkruid wieden.
What does it mean word for word?
onkruid is a compound of on- (un- or non-) and kruid (herb), literally meaning non-herb.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Suriname, the term wied is used to refer to weeds. Additionally, Hasj is a term used in some regions to refer specifically to hashish.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
onkruid is a neuter noun. In most contexts, such as referring to weeds in a garden, it is an uncountable noun and does not typically take a plural form.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables with the stress on the first syllable: /ˈɔŋ.krœy̯t/.
When do people say it?
The term Jointje is an informal way to refer to a joint.
Did you know?
- The word wiet and the Surinamese term for garden weeds, wied, are doublets that share the same ancient West Germanic root.
- In Dutch, the word kruid (herb) is used in both onkruid and the name for common spices, like kruidnagel for clove.
Examples in context
- Het verschil tussen een bloem en onkruid is slechts een oordeel.The difference between a flower and a weed is just judgement.This sentence is useful for showing the philosophical distinction between a flower and onkruid.Tatoeba #6093386 by Mandalay, translation #11177984 by SunnyMoon
- Wat is een onkruid? Een plant waarvan de deugden niet helemaal ontdekt zijn.What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.This sentence is useful for providing a poetic definition of onkruid.Tatoeba #11375189 by SunnyMoon, translation #868158 by Scott
- Er groeit veel onkruid in de tuin.There is a lot of weed growing in the garden.
Example conversation
Lucas and Julia are working in their garden.
- LucasZie je al dat onkruid tussen de bloemen?Do you see that weed among the flowers?
- JuliaJa, ik ga het meteen weghalen.Yes, I will remove it immediately.
- LucasDank je, dat helpt de planten enorm.Thank you, that helps the plants a lot.
- JuliaGeen probleem, ik doe het graag voor je.No problem, I am happy to do it for you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “weed” translations and entries onkruid, wied, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries onkruid, wied, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
