Archive for 'Culture'
How Do You Make A Dutch Surprise for Sinterklaas? – Part 2 Posted by Sten on Nov 30, 2021
Sinterklaas is back in the country. Yesterday, it was time to get your arts and crafts skills out to make surprises. Now we need the more intellectual, brainy side of you – we have to write a gedicht (poem). This is part 2 for the ultimate surprise for pakjesavond (“gift evening”) on December 5! Let’s dive in!…
How Do You Make A Dutch Surprise for Sinterklaas? – Part 1 Posted by Sten on Nov 29, 2021
Sinterklaas is back in the country. Get your schaar (scissors), papier (paper) and lijm (glue), because it’s time to make surprises. Together with a great little gedicht (poem), you’re – I mean, Sinterklaas is – sure to make the most impressive gift! How does this process work? And how to create the ultimate surprise for pakjesavond (“gift evening”) on December 5? This is…
Dutch Idioms 26 – Why Do The Dutch Take Chestnuts From Fire? Posted by Sten on Nov 25, 2021
In this edition of Dutch Idioms, I want to take a look at the kastanje (chestnut). An item that isn’t used much in spreekwoorden (sayings) and uitdrukkingen (expressions), yet the one it has going for it is very widely known. With an interesting origin, this idiom deserves its own post. So let’s unravel it! For other idioms in this series…
A Dutch Essential: Leuk! But what does it mean? Posted by Sten on Nov 22, 2021
When you learn, you’ll come across this word sooner or later: leuk. Like gezellig, we use it for all kinds of things. But how do you translate leuk, and what are all its meanings? Let’s find out. Nice or fun? Leuk in its most straightforward form means nice or fun. And you can sometimes translate it like that as well…
Why The First House Music Museum Opened in the Netherlands Posted by Sten on Nov 12, 2021
On October 29, 2021, a unique museum opened in Amsterdam: Our House, the first ever museum that is all about house music. What awaits you there, and why in Amsterdam? There’s a good reason, as you’ll see! House music started in the US. Why is the museum in the Netherlands? Its origins can be traced…
Curious Dutch Words: Why is a boterham called a boterham? Posted by Sten on Oct 29, 2021
You wake up in the morning, take a shower, and then it’s time for breakfast. As a good Dutch person, you’ll have een kopje koffie (a cup of coffee) and, of course, een boterham (a slice of bread). But here’s the weird thing: de boterham means “the butter ham”. Yeah, really. But why? Previous posts in this series: Curious Words…
What are Witte Wieven? Posted by Sten on Oct 26, 2021
Like many other originally Germanic places, the Netherlands has some folklore that hails from this time. Today, I want to briefly discuss witte wieven, a mythical figure that is still used in the Dutch language today. What are witte wieven, and what does it mean these days? Witte Wieven – Mythical Dutch Ghosts Witte wieven is dialect…