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Dutch Idioms 27 – Is it the truth? Posted by Sten on Feb 11, 2022
Sometimes we read something in the news, or we hear something raars (strange), we frown, and we ask ourselves: klopt dat wel? (Is that actually true?) Then we start digging, to uncover the waarheid (truth). And as we all know, truth comes out in the end. Or well, we say something like that in Dutch Idioms. Here’s how the Dutch…
How The Dutch Reach Became an Official Recommendation in the UK Posted by Sten on Jan 31, 2022
Since last Saturday, the UK Highway Code explicitly includes a recommendation for the Hollandse Greep (Dutch reach). And this can be a live-saving move – if you open your door and hit somebody, you can be fined a £1,000! So what is this Dutch reach, why did it become a recommendation now, and – the…
Why You Have To Watch The Most Popular Dutch TV Show Posted by Sten on Jan 28, 2022
In its 22nd season this year, the Dutch TV show Wie is de Mol? returned for its annual thrilling jacht op de mol (hunt for the mole). I talked about this show way back in 2015, but this show deserves to be talked about again. And I believe that this Dutch success (it’s been running for 22…
Dutch Terms – How Drinking Makes Agreements Dutch Posted by Sten on Jan 21, 2022
That title might sound weird – what do agreements and drinking have in common? And how do the Dutch get involved? There are quite a number of English words where you can ask yourself that question. In this series on “Dutch”-terms, we explore these words and look at their history and how they got their…
Our 5 Best Posts On The Dutch Blog In 2021 Posted by Sten on Jan 14, 2022
It’s almost the third weekend of 2022. Perhaps now is the perfect time to look back at some of our best posts on the blog in 2021. Perhaps you missed some of these? Or maybe you’d just like to read them again! Well, now is the time to check them out! Below, you can find…
Showing Respect in Dutch: Invaliden and Handicaps Posted by Sten on Jan 3, 2022
When I grew up, a person with a disability was known in the Netherlands as an invalide. This doesn’t mean they are “invalid”, of course. It comes from French invalide, which in turn goes back to Latin invalidus – the opposite of validus, which means strong and healthy. So to say that having a disability makes you invalid, in other…
The Jaaroverzicht – Here’s How the Dutch Look Back On 2021 Posted by Sten on Dec 31, 2021
2021 – Perhaps not the best year we had. But as every year, there are hoogte- en dieptepunten (ups and downs). And a jaaroverzicht (“year overview”, a end-of-year review) is a great way to reflect on the year to see this stuff. And the Dutch? Well, they enjoy doing that, too! Here are a few jaaroverzichten that…