Archive for 'Culture'
Ordering Drinks In Dutch Posted by Sten on Jul 16, 2017
Summer is here! And so a lot of terrassen (terraces), café’s (cafés) and bars (bars) are flooded with people, trying to afkoelen (cool off) a little in the zomerse hitte (Summer heat). Many people are getting drinks to cool off – but how do you order drinks in Dutch? So, you decided to hit one of the many little terraces (terrasjes) in the city, sit down…
Spreekwoorden en Uitdrukkingen (Sayings and Expressions) 8 – Time and money! Posted by Sten on Jun 19, 2017
It is Monday! Making money is what you probably do on a maandag (Monday) anyway. But it is also Monday, the international day for mourning the end of the weekend. So, I thought, let’s take the bitter out of that bittersweet feeling, and include time in today’s post. Time and money! Does that go together? Let’s find…
Music in Dutch: Clouseau Posted by Karoly Molina on May 24, 2017
When you are learning a new language, music is a great way to learn new vocabulary and practice pronunciation. You can practice in the shower, while you are stuck in traffic and while you are working out. So who should you listen to? The first recommendation I would like to make is the 90’s pop…
Spreekwoorden en Uitdrukkingen (Sayings and Expressions) 7 – Wood Posted by Sten on May 22, 2017
A new edition of Spreekwoorden en Uitdrukkingen! There are many different sayings and expressions, and there are plenty concerning hout (wood). Here are two that are used a lot and you will enjoy! Let’s start with the saying. For other sayings and expressions in this series, click here. Van dik hout zaagt men planken From thick wood one…
Mama, we houden van jou! – Mother’s Day in the Netherlands Posted by Sten on May 15, 2017
Yesterday was a great day for many mothers in the Netherlands – their children gave them presents and thanked them for being such awesome moeders (mothers). You might ask the question “maar waarom alleen op één dag van het jaar?” (but why only on one day of the year?), and that is a legitimate question. Not one to focus…
5 mei – Bevrijdingsdag: Celebrating Freedom Posted by Sten on May 5, 2017
Yesterday, I wrote about the Dodenherdenking, the Dutch Memorial Day, remembering all Dutch burgers (citizens) and soldaten (soldiers) that have fallen since the Tweede Wereldoorlog (Second World War). Today, that sad and difficult mood made a 180 degrees turn. Because today, it is time to celebrate vrijheid (freedom). A difficult end On 5 mei (May…
4 mei – Dodenherdenking: Remembering the Dead Posted by Sten on May 4, 2017
We have fought many oorlogen (wars). And wars are so gruwelijk (cruel), because the levens (lives) of so many mensen (people) are destroyed, and many levens are lost. In order to remember how cruel and terrible wars are, many countries have remembrance or memorial days. And many are in May, because it was in May 1945 that the Germans capitulated in the Second World War…