Archive for May, 2010
Dutch Music: Jan Smit Posted by sarah on May 14, 2010
Oh, Jan Smit, I’m not even sure of where to begin writing this particular post, but I’ll give it my best shot! Jan Smit is a Dutch pop singer who your grandmother and teenage younger sister would both thoroughly approve of. He sings (mostly) syrupy sweet pop music with catchy get-stuck-in-your-head melodies and simple rhyming…
Fokke and Sukke: who, what, when? Posted by noortje on May 12, 2010
Fokke and Sukke, the two slightly chicken-like figures, entertain the readers of one of our most famous news papers, the NRC Handelsblad, loyal with their dry humor, day in, day out. They are two big icons in the Dutch culture, and often use political jokes as their theme. The two figures are created by John…
Dutch Words for Parts of the Body Posted by sarah on May 11, 2010
It seems like such a simple little thing, but being able to name the parts of your own body can quickly become very important in an emergency. Say for instance I fall off of my bicycle and I need help fast. I can’t be guaranteed that the person running to help me speaks English, and…
De Canon van Nederland Posted by sarah on May 10, 2010
De Canon van Nederland is a list of 50 important points in Dutch history chosen by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Learning. This list covers such important topics as the beginning of Dutch civilization, famous artists and writers, and cultural themes. If you have an interest in broadening your knowledge of Dutch culture, this…
Moederdag: Celebrating Mother’s Day Posted by sarah on May 7, 2010
Don’t forget, Mother’s Day is on May 9 this year! In honor of Mother’s Day, I’ve put together a short list of words and phrases you might find useful when writing your card, or when trying to be exceptionally nice. mother : moeder father : vader parents : de ouders the child/the children…
How to Say Your Country and Nationality in Dutch Posted by sarah on May 4, 2010
There are two ways to tell someone where you come from. The first one is by saying where you come from, which uses the country name (a noun). The second is by describing your nationality using an adjective. 1. Asking where someone comes from Waar komt u vandaan? : Where do you come from? (using…
Who was Van Gogh? Posted by noortje on May 3, 2010
One of the Dutch worldwide famous painters is Vincent van Gogh. Everyone has heard of him and the most people will recognize at least some if his paintings. In 1973, even his own museum was opened. But what exactly is the history behind this great man? Vincent Willem van Gogh was born in Zundert, on…