This is the 3744th most frequent Dutch word.
tandje
"**Tandje**" means "a small gear" or metaphorically "a bit more effort" in English.
In this sentence, 'tandje' refers to increasing effort or intensity.
Laten we nog een tandje erbij zetten om het werk af te krijgen.
Let's step it up a notch to finish the work.
Here, 'tandje' indicates decreasing pace or intensity.
Hij moest een tandje terugschakelen tijdens het hardlopen.
He had to slow down a bit while running.
In this case, 'tandje' literally means a cog or tooth on a gear.