If you spend time in Flanders, you might hear someone say they are “kluts kwijt” or “kluts kwijt zijn.”
Literally, it means to have lost your lump/piece, but in everyday Flemish it’s used to describe being confused, disoriented, or a bit out of it.
Imagine stepping out of a long meeting and forgetting what you were about to do; je bent even de kluts kwijt (you’ve lost the kluts for a moment).
It can also describe the feeling after hearing unexpected news: you need a second to process it.
This expression is a lovely example of how Flemish Dutch has its own colourful turns of phrase that don’t always exist in the Netherlands.
Standard Dutch might say in de war zijn (to be mixed up/confused), but kluts kwijt zijn feels more vivid, almost like your thoughts have slipped out of your hands.
It’s flexible, too. For example, it can be light-hearted (forgetting where you put your keys) or more serious (being shaken after a surprise).
In either case, it’s instantly relatable.
So next time you’re caught staring at the fridge, forgetting why you opened it, remember: you’re not alone, you’re just even de kluts kwijt.
See all our previous ‘Belgian word of the day’ features here.
