# Main



## jimmyy

Hi,

I would like to know how do you translate:
 "main ideeas" 
 "main recommendations"

How would you say in Dutch main in this context.

I was thinking of 
"hoofd aanbevelingen" 
and
"hoofd ideeën"

but I'm not sure if this would be the natural way of translating it in Dutch.

I would not say by belangrijkste... which has a different meaning.

Bedankt,
Jimmyy


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## Brownpaperbag

Hi Jimmyy,

Could you give some more context to work with? _Belangrijkst _and _hoofd _are both possible and there are other possibilities, too.

Brown


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## jimmyy

Hi Brown,

The context would be that some recommendations are enumerated, and some ideeas, and then at the end it's like a conclusion, saying that the main recommednations are, and the main ideeas are.

Thank you


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## Brownpaperbag

Then I would translate something like _belangrijkste aanbevelingen_ en b_elangrijkste i__deeën_. I wouldn't use _hoofd _here because that refers to just a singular noun.

Brown


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## Kworb

I would use "voornaamste". When you say "belangrijkste" it's the same as "most important" and it comes with the subtext that everything else is not important. I would not use "hoofd-", it sounds really awkward.


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## Brownpaperbag

I must say that I considered _voornaamste _as well but I must say that belangrijkst (I don't see how it would imply that everything else is not important) sounds most natural in this context.


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## Kworb

I think the difference is that when speaking of the "main ideas" you're merely highlighting the ones that are the most promising. You're summarizing. If you say the "most important ideas" or _belangrijkste ideeën_ then to me it gives a sense of choice and finalization, like they are the ones that are worthy of being pursued. That subtle difference between "main" and "important" is the same for Dutch "voornaam" and "belangrijk". 

But it's true "voornaam" (as an adjective) is not used as much in Dutch as "main" is used in English, which is why "belangrijk" would in most cases sound better and more natural, despite the meaning being a little off.


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## NewtonCircus

Dag Jimmyy,

What is the precise meaning of *ideas *in your text? Is this the literal meaning of idea? The reason why I ask is that sometimes people use this word losely for instance as a "synonym" for *topics* or *aim *which gives you a lot more alternatives in Dutch like_ hoofdpunten _or _hoofdgedachten_ for example.

Groetjes Herman


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