Archive for 'Culture'
Untranslatable Dutch: AVG’tje Posted by Sten on Feb 7, 2020
Back with an untranslatable Dutch word! Today we’re actually looking at an abbreviation – AVG‘tje. No, that’s not a cute version of the algemene verordening gegevensbescherming, the EU GDPR legislation that was all over the internet last year, it’s something delicious. So let’s go and take a bite out of it, shall we! Click here for more…
Practice Your Dutch with These Romantic Movies Posted by Karoly Molina on Feb 5, 2020
February is here and love is all around! The stores are filled with heart shaped candies, flowers, and all sorts of romantic cards. If you and your loved one both speak Dutch or if you are in the mood for a gezellig evening at home, in this post, I will recommend a few romantic Dutch movies you…
The Canon of the Netherlands Posted by Karoly Molina on Jan 23, 2020
The Canon of the Netherlands is an important topic.The canon is a selection of the top 50 people, acts or happenings that have shaped this country. In short, the Dutch canon is what makes the Dutch Dutch and how the country and its people have evolved. What is a canon? According to Webster’s dictionary, a…
Woord van het Jaar 2019! Posted by Sten on Jan 14, 2020
The last year of the previous decade has just elapsed two weeks ago, and that means that we have new woorden van het jaar (words of the year). Let’s see what words 2019 brought! Het klimaat Nothing gained as much traction in 2019 as het klimaat (the climate). From the Fridays for Future demonstrations all around the world to major climate…
This Is THE Dutch Tradition If You Like Cold! Posted by Sten on Jan 6, 2020
Gelukkig nieuwjaar, everybody! The jaarwisseling (turn of the year) marks an opportunity for many people to finally go get some of those goede voornemens (good resolutions) done! But for many Dutch people, it also means taking a moedige (courageous) step into cold water… Literally. Here’s all about a crazy cold Dutch tradition: the nieuwjaarsduik (New Year’s dip). What is this nieuwjaarsduik? Every year…
The Music Top 2000 – A New Dutch Tradition Posted by Sten on Dec 30, 2019
Every year again in December, it is time for the Top 2000. If you’re Dutch, that should ring a bell! For days on end, the best nummers (tracks) are played on NPO Radio 2. And millions of people tune in to this lijst der lijsten (list of the lists) every year. How does the list work? The first week…
Dutch Comfort Is Less Cosy Than It Sounds Posted by Sten on Dec 16, 2019
In our series on “Dutch”-terms, like Dutching, Dutch courage or Dutch uncles, we’ve found that many of these terms have an historic, often pejorative origin. So is the case with Dutch comfort, a term that follows the line of diminishing terms. What does it mean, and how would you use it? Let’s find out. Trying…