# Bekijk het even



## rouillé

Apologies if this has already been covered somewhere else (I couldn't find it) but what would be the equivalent to this expression in English.  I saw it in this comic:
https://www.facebook.com/DirkjanFan...41856.163558993699188/910329199022160/?type=1

From the context, I would translate it as something like, 'Same difference'.  As in, he doesn't see enough of a difference to care.

Ah, my Dutch friend says something like 'Get lost'.  Like 'F**k off' without swearing.


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## Suehil

"So what?' (with undertones of 'it's your business, nothing to do with me')

Welcome to the forum, by the way


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## rouillé

> "So what?' (with undertones of 'it's your business, nothing to do with me')



Thanks.  I think that's a better answer than my Dutch friend gave me.



> Welcome to the forum, by the way



Dankjewel.


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## Terwexel

No way! (but I'm not English). Edit: On second thought, No way! (with exclamation mark) is a bit stronger ( would correspond to Bekijk het even! with exclamation mark.) I don't think so?


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## rouillé

That's OK.  Neither am I.


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## bibibiben

_No way _can be used when the speaker wants to express strong disagreement. _So what _means that you're not impressed by the opponent's arguments. Someone saying _bekijk het even _or _bekijk het maar _is not only unimpressed, _but is done arguing anyway_. _Screw it _is most likely a better translation. _Fuck it _would be too strong, though. _Fuck off _would be too aggressive, as the aim is to dismiss somebody's words, not to insult and dismiss the person you're arguing with.


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## rouillé

bibibiben said:


> _No way _can be used when the speaker wants to express strong disagreement. _So what _means that you're not impressed by the opponent's arguments. Someone saying _bekijk het even _or _bekijk het maar _is not only unimpressed, _but is done arguing anyway_. _Screw it _is most likely a better translation. _Fuck it _would be too strong, though. _Fuck off _would be too aggressive, as the aim is to dismiss somebody's words, not to insult and dismiss the person you're arguing with.



Bedankt, bibibiben.  I don't think I'd go for _screw it_ though as I'm not a fan of American English.  I think I'm getting the general gist of the phrase now but I can tell there is no exact English equivalent that would work in all situations.


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## eno2

Grappig en heel beleefd, bekijk het even. Ander en beter? Think again?


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## Brownpaperbag

_forget it_ would be another option.


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## sound shift

In the light of what bibibiben said, I get the impression that it's a bit like "Whatever!", but rouillé may find that too AmE, I suspect.


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## bibibiben

sound shift said:


> In the light of what bibibiben said, I get the impression that it's a bit like "Whatever!", but rouillé may find that too AmE, I suspect.



Well, let me correct myself. It depends on the context. If somebody wants you to act or to do something, while you don't feel like doing it at all, _forget it_ would be a fitting translation for _bekijk het even_:

Neo: Ik heb hier een blauwe en een rode pil. Neem je de blauwe, dan blijf je voor altijd onwetend, een stripfiguur. Neem je de rode, dan laat ik je de echte wereld zien.
Dirk Jan: Bekijk het even. [= _Forget it. _Implied:_ I'm not going to choose between stupid pills. I'm not going to play that silly game of yours._]


Some examples in which _bekijk het maar_ means _I'm done arguing_:

1.
A: Waarom raad je me nou af om een toeristische rondreis door Syrië te maken? Ik kan je echt niet volgen.
B: Tsk, bekijk het maar. (Als je het nu nog niet snapt, zul je het nooit snappen.)

2.
A: Goed, hij wordt een beest als hij dronken is, heeft zijn drie vorige vriendinnen zwaar mishandeld en moest tien jaar zitten voor een dubbele moord, maar in de twee weken dat ik hem ken, is hij steeds lief voor mij geweest. Dus wat is nou het probleem?
B: Pfff, bekijk het maar. (Als je je niet wilt laten overtuigen, dan houdt het op.)

3.
A: Ik mag je toch wel vragen om nog beter uit te leggen waarom je met vijf glazen whisky op beter niet achter het stuur kan gaan zitten?
B: Hmf, bekijk het maar. (Ik blijf niet aan de gang met uitleggen.)

4.
A: Leuk dat je me zo uitgebreid waarschuwt, maar ik heb op safari in Uganda geen muggenmelk nodig. Ik ben daar nog nooit gestoken. En ik heb een sterk gestel, dus een ziekte als malaria zal niet snel vat op mij krijgen.
B: Nou, bekijk het maar.

5.
Ik heb mijn tong blauw gepraat om hem tegen te houden, maar hij wil per se op dat gammele houten vlot de oceaan over. Bekijk het maar!

_Bekijk het even_ could be substituted in sentence 3 (slightly changing its meaning, though).


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## sound shift

Interesting examples at post 11 (and I didn't have to reach for the dictionary)! As for the translation of the "Bekijk het maar" in those examples:
For (1), (2) and (4), I suggest "All right, but on your head be it."
For (3), I suggest "Well, tough luck!"
For (5), I suggest "On his head be it."

None of the above (in this post) would work for the "Bekijk het even" that appears in the link within post 1. For that, I am now inclined towards "Yeah? Big deal!"


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## bibibiben

I thought that _on his head be it_ simply means that the person in question should be considered responsible? The thing is, _bekijk het maar _is not so much about responsibility.

It's tempting to say that the closest English equivalent would be _you're on your own. _The problem is, though, that _you're on your own_ doesn't necessarily translate the speaker's weariness.

Could it be that _sort yourself out! _would be a better translation?


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## bibibiben

sound shift said:


> None of the above (in this post) would work for the "Bekijk het even" that appears in the link within post 1. For that, I am now inclined towards "Yeah? Big deal!"



_Big deal _would simply mean _I don't care_. That's not what Dirk Jan wants to communicate. His point is that he doesn't want to be involved in something that he considers a futile business. 'Pillen' (_pills_) will leave him utterly cold, but 'pils' (_lager_) will get him started.

I'm inclined to say that there can be a huge difference between _bekijk het even_ en _bekijk het maar_.


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## sound shift

OK, then, if he thinks he's being invited to get involved in something futile, I suggest: "You can keep them!" (where "them" means the pills).


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## Suehil

I like 'you're on your own' - to my ears there is quite a lot of weariness in that if uttered in the right tone.


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## Syzygy

I can't quite figure out whether "_Bekijk het maar (met je ...)_." is just about "_having lost any interest in talking any further about something_" and saying that "_it's not my problem_" or whether, as suggested by the use of the imperative of _bekijken_, the other person is actually invited/urged to "_go and see_" what they can do about what the speaker acknowledges to be an actual problem (that's what I'm getting from "_you're on your own_" and "_sort yourself out_"). Or is it maybe a combination of the two?


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## bibibiben

Syzygy said:


> I can't quite figure out whether "_Bekijk het maar (met je ...)_." is just about "_having lost any interest in talking any further about something_" and saying that "_it's not my problem_" or whether, as suggested by the use of the imperative of _bekijken_, the other person is actually invited/urged to "_go and see_" what they can do about what the speaker acknowledges to be an actual problem (that's what I'm getting from "_you're on your own_" and "_sort yourself out_"). Or is it maybe a combination of the two?



_Bekijk het even_ is a rather straightforward expression. I think Brownpaperbag's _forget it _is a very useful translation.

_Bekijk het maar_ is much more troublesome. I agree that Suehil's _you're on your own_ could be used in this dialog:

A: Leuk dat je me zo uitgebreid waarschuwt, maar ik heb op safari in Uganda geen muggenmelk nodig. Ik ben daar nog nooit gestoken. En ik heb een sterk gestel, dus een ziekte als malaria zal niet snel vat op mij krijgen.
B: Nou, bekijk het maar. [Well, you're on your own.]

_You're on your own _can't be used here:

A: Ik mag je toch wel vragen om nog beter uit te leggen waarom je met vijf glazen whisky op beter niet achter het stuur kan gaan zitten?
B: Hmf, bekijk het maar. (Ik blijf niet aan de gang met uitleggen.)

Nor can it be used here:

A: Goed, mijn dochter blowt, drinkt, komt nooit voor vier uur 's ochtends thuis en staat tot nu toe voor alle vakken een onvoldoende. Maar ze heeft me beloofd dat ze voor het eindexamen wat meer haar best gaat doen. Waarom zie jij nou dan nog moeilijkheden?
B: Pfff, bekijk het maar. (Als je je niet wilt laten overtuigen, dan houdt het op.)

B is in both cases simply tired of arguing. _You're on your own_ doesn't work here. _Sort yourself out_ and _on your head be it_ don't fit either. _Never mind _could be a translation, but I wonder if there isn't something more fitting.

There's yet another _bekijk het maar_:

A: Eerst vraagt hij me om die bestelling onmiddellijk te leveren. Een minuut later roept hij dat ik als de sodemieter de klanten moet afhelpen. Zit ik goed en wel achter de kassa, roept hij me weg omdat er een dringende kopieerklus ligt. Ik dus braaf kopiëren. Vraagt hij een kwartier later woest waarom ik zo idioot was om die bestelling te laten liggen. Nou, bekijk het maar!

_Screw it! _would be an option here. Only in America, though.

No doubt there are more _bekijk het maars_ ...


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## sound shift

bibibiben said:


> _Bekijk het even_ is a rather straightforward expression. I think Brownpaperbag's _forget it _is a very useful translation.


Maybe in some contexts, but "Forget it!" doesn't fit the scenario in the comic linked to post 1, to my mind.


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## bibibiben

sound shift said:


> Maybe in some contexts, but "Forget it!" doesn't fit the scenario in the comic linked to post 1, to my mind.



Well, _forget it_ can be an "injunction to put something out of one's hopes, concern, etc", which fits quite well in the cartoon. In fact, _bekijk het even_ could be easily replaced by _vergeet het maar,_ meaning _forget it_.


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## Syzygy

I think what would make "_forget it_" seem a bit strange/abrupt in the context of the comic is that it isn't preceded by a direct question or request. I would only expect "forget it" to be a general dismissal of any further discussion (as, say "_give it a rest_") when the argument has already been going on for a while.
I'm neither a Dutch nor an English native speaker though, so maybe it is completely acceptable even if said question/request (in this case "_make your choice/what would you do?_) is just being implied.


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## bibibiben

Syzygy said:


> I think what would make "_forget it_" seem a bit strange/abrupt in the context of the comic is that it isn't preceded by a direct question or request. I would only expect "forget it" to be a general dismissal of any further discussion (as, say "_give it a rest_") when the argument has already been going on for a while.
> 
> I'm neither a Dutch nor an English native speaker though, so maybe it is completely acceptable even if said question/request (in this case "_make your choice/what would you do?_) is just being implied.



Yes, it's completely acceptable. No explicit request is needed, as it's clear that Dirk Jan is supposed to make a choice.


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