dirty business

21:33 Jul 24, 2018
This question was closed without grading. Reason: Answer found elsewhere

English to Dutch translations [PRO]
Cinema, Film, TV, Drama
English term or phrase: dirty business
'War is a dirty business'.

Context: Someone advises a presidedent to launch a suprise attack on another country (in order to start a war) and to do it on that country's most holy day.

President: 'On their holy day?!'
Reply: 'War is a dirty business'.

It's for a movie I'm subtitling, so the translation can't be much longer that the English sentence.
So far, all I have come up with is 'oorlog is verachtelijk', but I'm not very happy with that translation.
Irene Witpaard
Netherlands
Local time: 12:55


Summary of answers provided
4 +1smerig
Edith van der Have


  

Answers


10 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
smerig


Explanation:
"Oorlog is ook smerig", kort genoeg en dan houd je het dirty er gelijk ook in.

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Note added at 11 hrs (2018-07-25 09:11:07 GMT)
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of 'nu eenmaal', als dat past.

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Note added at 11 hrs (2018-07-25 09:11:48 GMT)
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Of 'nu eenmaal', als dat past.

Edith van der Have
Netherlands
Local time: 12:55
Native speaker of: Native in DutchDutch

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Kitty Brussaard
6 hrs
  -> Dank je, Kitty!
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