Example: Het uitleggen van dat probleem was mosterd na de maaltijd.
Definition
"Mosterd na de maaltijd" is a Dutch expression meaning an unnecessary or too late action, often referring to giving advice or information after the moment when it would have been useful. For example, explaining a problem after it has already been resolved is "mosterd na de maaltijd."
The phrase "mosterd na de maaltijd" literally translates to 'mustard after the meal' in Dutch. It originated as a metaphor suggesting that adding mustard after finishing a meal is pointless or redundant. Did you know? Mustard was once considered a valuable condiment, so adding it too late implied missing the right moment.
Learn to use this expression actively
"Mosterd na de maaltijd" appears in the Vocaplus list "Dutch - General - Idioms and Proverbs - (C2) - set 1", containing 105 commonly used expressions.
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too little too late