# can you translate a Dutch word?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-translate-a-dutch-word/44782>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 9, 2000, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-translate-a-dutch-word/44782 "2000-12-09T17:35:57Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![peepthis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9d8465/32.png) [@peepthis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peepthis)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2000, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-translate-a-dutch-word/44782/1 "2000-12-09T17:35:57Z")

</div>

**Bevelhebber**?

I’ve come across it as a moniker of the erstwhile Surinamese strongman, Desi Bouterse. Dutch, as you know, is one of the official languages of Suriname (formerly Dutch Guiana).

I couldn’t find a whole-word translation using on-line dictionaries, but when I broke it down I found the following:

bevel = injunction  
hebber = no direct translation, but I found “lasthebber” (commissioner) and “muziekliefhebber” (music-lover)

So: I’m guessing it translates roughly as injuction-lover, but there has to be a more appropriate (or slang?) translation. Any Dutch dopers out there?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2000, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-translate-a-dutch-word/44782/2 "2000-12-09T17:55:30Z")

</div>

This would mean something like “commander” (hebber is more like “haver”, not lover (the “lief” in liefhebber is “love” (as in latin/romance language version “amateur”), and a bevel is an order or command).  
Ask Coldfire for a second opinion, though.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2000, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-translate-a-dutch-word/44782/3 "2000-12-09T19:53:12Z")

</div>

Mijn Groot Nederlands-Engels Woordenboek translates it as commander.