lastigvallen

Lastigvallen is a Dutch verb meaning to harass, bother, or cause trouble for someone through persistent or unwanted behavior. The expression is used when someone makes repeated, unwelcome contact or intrudes on another’s privacy, often with the intention to annoy or press for something.

The phrase is typically used with een direct object, as in iemand lastigvallen. Examples include a telemarketer who repeatedly calls with unsolicited offers, or a person who asks intrusive questions and repeatedly ignores refusals: “Hij valt haar dagelijks lastig met vragen over haar privéleven.” Such usage spans social situations, workplace interactions, and online behavior, including persistent messaging or comments.

Etymology and nuance: the word combines lastig (difficult, troublesome) with vallen (to fall), conveying the sense that trouble or annoyance falls upon the other person. The term describes behavior that is not merely annoying on one occasion, but recurring and unwelcome, though it remains a general, non-legal descriptor rather than a formal charge.

Legal and social context: persistent or intrusive contact can cross into harassment, and in severe cases may be addressed under privacy protections or anti-harassment laws. When behavior is threatening or highly persistent, it can be related to stalking, which is treated as a criminal offense in the Netherlands. Context, frequency, and impact determine how the behavior is interpreted.

Synonyms and related terms include storen, hinderen, pesten, and belagen, while antonyms emphasize respecting boundaries and privacy.