op de been

Dutch

Etymology

Literally, on the legs, with an old endingless plural of been (instead of contemporary benen). Compare the same construction in German auf den Beinen.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˌɔp də ˈbeːn/

Prepositional phrase

op de been

  1. standing; upright
  2. up; awake; having got up