Example: Ik kan nergens aan vastknopen wat hij bedoelt.
Definition
"Ergens geen touw aan vast kunnen knopen" means being unable to understand or make sense of something at all, as if one cannot find any connection or clarity in the information given. For example, not grasping what someone truly means in a conversation.
Translations
to make no sense of something
no entender nada
no entendre-hi res
n'y rien comprendre
keinen Sinn daraus machen können
non riuscire a capire niente
não conseguir entender
Etymology
The phrase "ergens geen touw aan vast kunnen knopen" literally translates to 'cannot tie a rope to something.' It originates from the idea that if you cannot tie a rope to something, you have no way to hold on or anchor yourself, symbolizing confusion or lack of understanding. Did you know it vividly illustrates being lost or perplexed about a subject?
Learn to use this expression actively
"Ergens geen touw aan vast kunnen knopen" appears in the Vocaplus list "Dutch - General - Idioms and Proverbs - (C1) - set 1", containing 100 commonly used expressions.
Would you like to not only understand these expressions, but also remember them and use them actively? Create a free account and select Dutch as the language you want to learn.
to make no sense of something