Archive for 'Dutch Vocabulary'
How Did Sinterklaas Arrive in The Netherlands During COVID? Posted by Sten on Nov 23, 2020
One of the most cherished Dutch traditions, the Sinterklaasfeest (St. Nicholas celebration) is a cultural beacon in the Netherlands. With his arrival on his stoomboot (steamboat) from Spanje (Spain) every year in November to his mysterious delivery of the pakjes (“little packages”, gifts) for the big night of opening them on pakjesavond (“little packages evening”) on December 5 to the abundance of cavity-inducing…
Spreekwoorden en Uitdrukkingen (Sayings and Expressions) 16 – Sunshine! Posted by Sten on Oct 29, 2020
The last time we looked at spreekwoorden (sayings) and uitdrukkingen (expressions), it was May. The zomer (summer) had just started, and we talked about the nice weather. However, you can also have too much sun… At least that’s what our spreekwoord suggests. Sunshine is still awesome, though, as our uitdrukking argues! Let’s take a look at them, starting with the spreekwoord! For other sayings and expressions…
3 Important Dutch Words On The Coronavirus Posted by Sten on Oct 26, 2020
The coronavirus needs no introduction. If you really want one, we did write one before. But we haven’t really discussed the kinds of terms the Dutch use around the Coronavirus. Currently faced by one of the worst upturns in infections of Europe, the Dutch have come up with terms to deal with the dreadful situation. From Coronawaanzin to…
Untranslatable Dutch: Inkakmomentje Posted by Sten on Oct 6, 2020
Today we have a fun untranslatable Dutch word. It’s used quite a lot and its use is quite widespread. It also isn’t very vulgar, so it can be used in many settings, too! I’m talking about that moment that you kinda fall apart: your inkakmomentje. Click here for more untranslatable words Inkak… Wait, what? An inkakmomentje is a…
What’s Dutch About The Dutch Oven? Posted by Sten on Oct 2, 2020
While many of the “Dutch” terms that I’ve discussed here on the blog are entirely unrelated to the Dutch, today we have one that actually is! The braadpan (frying pan) made of gietijzer (cast iron) was a Dutch invention that made its way into the early North American colonies. Especially on the trails westwards, it was a popular cooking…
Binnenhof: Tweede Kamer Posted by Sten on Aug 3, 2020
The Binnenhof (Inner Court) is the center of the Dutch overheid (government). Located in the heart of Den Haag (The Hague), it oozes Dutch geschiedenis (history) and verhalen (stories). In this series, we’ll go building by building and explore what each is all about. Today, we look at easily the biggest complex of the Binnenhof: the Tweede…
Binnenhof: Eerste Kamer Posted by Sten on Jul 21, 2020
The Binnenhof (Inner Court) is the center of the Dutch overheid (government). Located in the heart of Den Haag (The Hague), it oozes Dutch geschiedenis (history) and verhalen (stories). In this series, we’ll go building by building and explore what each is all about. Today, let’s check out the Eerste Kamer! For more posts in the Binnenhof series, click…