balen
to be bummed; to be annoyed; to suck
Beginner Verb
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Pronunciation
/ˈbaː.lən/
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Cultural Note
Balen is an extremely common informal verb expressing frustration or disappointment. 'Wat balen!' is one of the most frequent Dutch exclamations. It is not vulgar and is used by all age groups. The word originally referred to bales of goods but shifted to mean 'fed up' in the 20th century.
📝 Example Sentences
Ik baal ervan dat het regent.
I'm bummed that it's raining.
Wat balen!
What a bummer!
Ze baalde dat ze niet mee kon.
She was annoyed that she couldn't come along.