Tag Archives: Dutch

No.43: Speaking in expressions

Posted on October 2012 by

I used to have this colleague who almost exclusively spoke to me in Dutch expressions. Now of course, some would see this as charming, perhaps even educational, or a nice throw back to the times when our grandmothers spoke of … Continue reading →

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No. 12: Lekker

Posted on September 2012 by

If you’ve lived, toured, visited, or really spent any amount of time in the lowlands and you haven’t heard this word…well, then I’d suggest you get your ears checked – and quick! This seemingly innocent word is ubiquitous in the … Continue reading →

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No.28: Friet & mayo (Dutch French Fries)

Posted on September 2012 by

Call ‘em what you will – friet, friets, patat, Vlaamse Frieten – but one thing is sure, the Dutch can’t seem to get enough of ‘em!  In fact, they love ‘em so much they eat over 41 million kilos of … Continue reading →

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No. 24: Dairy

Posted on December 2010 by

Dutch people like milk products, a lot. Even if you know very little about Dutch people or have just arrived in the Netherlands, you will soon observe the Dutch’s predilection for dairy. Need proof of their penchant? Just look at … Continue reading →

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No.7: Orange

Posted on November 2010 by

Perhaps you’ve noticed that Dutch people like love the colour orange.  Yes, the love of orange is alive and kicking in the Netherlands. You can even eat orange sprinkles on your toast! But why orange, you ask? Isn’t the Dutch … Continue reading →

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No. 47: Normalcy: doe normaal

Posted on November 2010 by

Dutch people like normalcy. The Dutch expression Doe Normaal roughly translates to “just be normal already!” Doe normaal is the kind of statement your Grandma might say to you in church if you were blasting Hip-Hop tunes from your iPod … Continue reading →

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No. 8: Not owning curtains

Posted on November 2010 by

Dutch people like living a curtain-less existence, thereby showing the world they have nothing to hide. Take a leisurely stroll down any Dutch street and you are sure to notice one starting similarity: a persistent lack of curtains, and hence … Continue reading →

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No. 37: The Birthday Calendar

Posted on November 2010 by

Step into any Dutch persons home and you will be sure to find one particular household oddity: the Birthday Calendar (de verjaardagskalender). And where, do  you ask,  would one find such an odd item? Well, in the most logical place … Continue reading →

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No. 29: Licorice

Posted on November 2010 by

Stuff Dutch people like: Licorice, or Drop that is for you highly ingeburgerd (integrated) folk! Dutch people love licorice. But not the kind of licorice you are thinking about, not that North American variety of chewy sugary red stick stuff … Continue reading →

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No. 11: Discussing the weather

Posted on November 2010 by

Dutch people love to discuss the weather. Want to join in a friendly chat with your Dutch co-workers or neighbours? Not sure what exactly they are discussing fervently by the coffee machine? Chances are it’s the fascinating and captivating topic … Continue reading →

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