verkering

Dutch

FWOTD – 27 February 2014

Etymology

From verkeren (“to have contact, associate”) +‎ -ing (“-ing”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /vərˈkeː.rɪŋ/, /vɛrˈkeː.rɪŋ/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: ver‧ke‧ring

Noun

verkering f (plural verkeringen, diminutive verkerinkje n)

1. (dated) social contact, intercourse, dealings among people

   Synonyms: omgang, verkeer

2. (Netherlands) the state of having a relationship, of dating or going out together

   Synonym: relatie (see usage notes below)

   Zij heeft verkering met onze overbuur.

   She has a relationship with our neighbour across the road.

   • 1981, “Marie”‎^[1]performed by Rubberen Robbie:

     Dames en heren, het volgende liedje gaat over mijn verkering, Marie...
     We hadden toch verkering, waarom ben jij dan weggegaan?
     Oké, ik drink wel eens een biertje met daar een whisky achteraan.

     Ladies and gentlemen, the next song is about my relationship [i.e girlfriend], Marie...
     We were in a relationship, so why did you go away?
     Fine, I may drink a beer at times with a whisky to follow.

   • 2008, Bram Bakker, “Dikke billen, nou en?”, in De dwarse psychiater, Amsterdam: Uitgeverij Maarten Muntinga, →ISBN, page 168:

     Het doet me denken aan iets wat mijn zoon vertelde. Die is dertien en heeft voor het eerst verkering.

     It reminds me of something my son told me. He is thirteen and goes with a girl for the first time.

Usage notes

• The word is mainly used of children and teenagers. Therefore it has a connotation of not being very serious or long-lasting. Once it turns out to be more serious, one would use one of the synonyms, such as relatie, or speak of vriend (“boyfriend”)/vriendin (“girlfriend”).
• Commonly collocates with hebben (met).