25 Very Dutch Words and Phrases Explained
25 very Dutch words explained. From lief to appje here is a list of frequently used and uniquely Dutch words and phrases.
1. aardig: used to describe a person who you find nice or likeable, but can also mean “rather” or “pretty”, as in Het was aardig druk bij de Albert Heijn! (It was rather busy at the Albert Heijn!)
2. anders: anders, as in, “Dat is anders.” is a semi-polite way of saying “That’s odd.” It’s a perfect phrase to use if someone wears something highly unusual or does something confusing in traffic for example.
3. app, appje: (pronounced “ep” or “ep-je”) In recent years the word app or appje has become a popular Dutch word for “text message”. It’s derived from the messaging app WhatsApp which is a common way for friends, groups and acquaintances to stay in touch in the Netherlands and beyond. The formal word for message is bericht and many people still say SMSje, however app has become the word of choice for most.
4. asociaal: the opposite of aardig, asociaal means “antisocial” and is often used to reprimand rude strangers on the street or in shops or one’s kids when they are ignoring social norms: Wees niet asociaal! Blijf gewoon op het fietspad! (Don’t be antisocial! Stay on the bike path!)
While the Dutch are known for being a tolerant “live and let live” society, leaving trash on the beach, spitting on the sidewalk, or fietsen op de stoep (riding your bike on the sidewalk) are all behaviors that could earn you the label asociaal.
5. fiets: the bike, ahhh, the ever-present bike! Of course the act of riding a bike has a dedicated verb in Dutch: fietsen. And anything related to a bike is fiets—. For example, a bike store is a fietsenzaak and a long bike ride would be a fietstocht.
Did you know that around 70% of trips in Dutch cities like Amsterdam and the Hague are made by bike and that the average Dutch person cycles 1000 km per year?
6. Gaat het?: This phrase sounds similar to the common Dutch greeting “Hoe gaat het?” or How’s it going, however it has a different meaning. It is used specifically in situations when someone is struggling or something has gone wrong. For example, similar to “Are you okay?” or “Is everything okay?”, one might say “Gaat het?” to a person who has been injured and might need your help.
7. gewoon: this word has two meanings, the most common being “just” as in, Ik ga vanavond gewoon thuis eten. (I’m just going to eat at home tonight.) But is also means “normal”, as in Doe maar gewoon! (Be normal!)
8. gezellig: this favorite Dutch adjective is famous for not being directly translatable. It means something like cosy/friendly/enjoyable and having a nice atmosphere— all wrapped up into one. Often used to describe social gatherings, it can also describe a group of people or even the lighting or decor of a room.
9. grachten: a word you definitely need to know, this simply refers to the much discussed water canals. Many canal streets are named —gracht. Keizersgracht (the emperor’s canal), Brouwersgracht (the brewer’s canal), Herengracht (the canal of the lords), and so on. Canals found outside of cities have a different name (see: sloot).
10. jas: oh the perennial, indispensable jas! Jas means jacket, but is often the word of choice for coat as well. If you are living in the Netherlands, get used to the following phrases because you will need your jacket most days of the year!
Vergeet je jas niet! (Don’t forget your jacket!)
Jas ophangen! (Hang up your jacket!)
Doe je jas aan. (Put your jacket on)
Consistent light rains and cool evenings, even during the warmest months of the year, make jackets a popular necessity in The Netherlands.
11. lief, liefje, lieve: Lief is a word that has many uses. As an adjective lief translates to “dear” or “sweet”. To a nice gesture one might say, “Dat is lief!” (That is sweet!). It can also be used to address or describe a person mijn lieve oma (my dear grandma). It can also be pluralised and combined with veel (many) at the end of a letter to indicate “lots of love”, as in veel liefs. And in its diminutive it becomes a term of endearment, liefje, meaning dear one or sweetie.
12. milieu: a frequently heard word thanks to a broad cultural interest in the environment. You will often see references to milieuvriendelijk (environmentally-friendly) or milieubewust (environmentally-conscious), or see the phrase, “Denk aan het milieu” (Consider the environment) encouraging people to make eco-conscious choices. Municipal garbage dumps are referred to as milieuparken or milieupleinen (environmental parks or plazas) because they serve as giant recycling centers.
Large tax breaks and subsidies for electric cars are one of the many milieuvriendelijke (eco-friendly) initiatives that are common in the Netherlands.
13. op aarde, ter wereld: on earth or in the whole world. Just like in English, this phrase is used a lot.
14. schat: means “jewel” or “treasure” and is used as a term of endearment similar to “dear” or “honey”. The diminutive form schatje is often reserved for children. And as an adjective, schattig, it simply means “cute” or “sweet”.
“Schattig” is the Dutch word used to describe something that’s cute.
15. sloot: so if “canals” are grachten, what do you call all of those tiny waterways which are sometimes only a few inches deep and are found lining streets in nearly every Dutch town? Sloten of course! As in, Pas op! Gooi de bal niet in de sloot!” (Careful, don’t throw the ball in the ditch!)
16. sporten: there isn’t really a direct translation for the word exercise, but sporten comes closest. Recreational sports in the Netherlands are an important part of life for kids and adults alike. Field hockey, speed skating, cycling, soccer and swimming are popular choices, but there are sports clubs and initiatives for everything from skiën (skiing) to tafeltennis (ping pong).
17. thuis: another Dutch word that you will hear a lot, it means simply “at home”. You might say that you are at home, Ik ben thuis, feel at home Ik voel me thuis, or that you have a cactus at home. Ik heb thuis een cactus.
18. tocht: another word without a direct translation. It refers to a “march” or a “trek”, but generally without the formality of a march or the physical rigor of a trek. An organized walk or bike ride with a special and generally pleasant purpose could be called a tocht or optocht.
During the Saint Maarten optocht on the 4th of November, children carry handmade lanterns from door to door in their neighborhoods, singing songs and collecting candy.
19. trek: As a verb it simply means “to pull”, but as a noun it’s used to describe an appetite for a snack. In English we say we are “hungry”, but the Dutch word honger implies literal starvation. Trek on the other hand describes what we are feeling when we grab a cookie between lunch and dinner.
20. wandelen: aka “recreational walking”. In Dutch, the ordinary act of walking is lopen, and interestingly there is no direct translation for “hiking”, however there is a word for what falls in between the two. Taking a relaxed, recreational walk outdoors, whether it be in nature or in the city, is a popular pastime and is called wandelen.
21. zin: is another conversational essential and means something like, “enthusiasm for” or “excitement about”. You might use it to express a preference for a specific food or drink, Ik heb zin in iets warms (I’d like something warm), or to express excitement about an upcoming event or outing.
Person 1: Kijk je uit naar je vakantie?
Person 2: Zeker, ik heb er veel zin in!
22. zoiets: A quick way to say “…something like that”.
Person 1: Wil je een thriller kijken?
Person 2: Nee ik will liever een romcom of zoiets.
23. zomaar: a simple way to say “just like that”, as in Zomaar ging hij stuk. (Just like that, it broke.) It is often combined with ineens to form zomaar ineens (just like that all of a sudden).
24. zonde: another commonly heard word, this translates to “sin” or “transgression”, but in use it means something like, “what a pity”.
25. zuinig: is an adjective used to describe being “economical or careful with resources”. It’s often heard in talk about eco-friendly practices, but it’s also used to describe the judicious handling of money.