When I first arrived in the Netherlands as an international student a lifetime ago, I had no idea what to expect from the Dutch language. I knew it was related to English and German, but I also heard it was full of strange sounds and expressions. I decided to take a Dutch course at the university, hoping to learn some basics and maybe make some friends. Little did I know that I was about to embark on a linguistic adventure that would challenge, amuse, and surprise me.

Here are some of the things I learned about the Dutch language along the way, and how they made me appreciate it more.

1. Dutch has a lot of consonants

One of the first things that struck me about Dutch was how many consonants it has. Sometimes, it seemed like there were more consonants than vowels in a word. For example, the word for “strength” is kracht, and the word for “aircraft” is vliegtuig. Try saying Zuiderzeemuseum or meervoudigepersoonlijkheidsstoornis (which the English conveniently split into three words: multiple personality disorder), I dare you!

But the real challenge came when I encountered words with the infamous Dutch “g” sound, which is pronounced like a harsh gargle in the back of your throat. This sound is very common in Dutch, and it can appear at the beginning, middle, or end of a word. The tourists boarding the tram in Amsterdam still can’t help giggling whenever they hear the conductor mentioning Museum Van Gogh as the next stop.

However, I soon learned that not all Dutch people pronounce the “g” the same way. In fact, there are regional variations, and some dialects have a softer or even silent “g”. For example, in the south of the Netherlands and in Belgium, where they speak Flemish (a variant of Dutch), the “g” is more like a “h” sound. So, the word for “girl” in Flemish is meise, which sounds much more friendly to me.

I also learned that the Dutch “g” sound is actually a sign of their history and culture. It is related to the Yiddish “ch” sound, which was brought by the Jewish immigrants who settled in the Netherlands in the 16th and 17th centuries. The Dutch “g” sound is also a marker of social class and identity, as it can indicate where you come from and how educated you are. So, the Dutch “g” sound is not just a random noise, but a meaningful symbol of the Dutch people.

2. Dutch has a lot of idioms

Another thing that fascinated me about Dutch was how many idioms it has. Idioms are expressions that have a figurative meaning that is different from their literal meaning. For example, in English, we say “it’s raining cats and dogs” to mean that it’s raining heavily, but we don’t actually mean that animals are falling from the sky.

Dutch has a lot of idioms, and some of them are very funny and creative. For example, one of my favorite Dutch idioms is “nu komt de aap uit de mouw”, which literally means “now the monkey comes out of the sleeve”. This idiom is used to reveal a hidden truth or motive, and it comes from an old magic trick where a monkey would pop out of the magician’s sleeve. Another funny Dutch idiom is “helaas pindakaas”, which literally means “unfortunately, peanut butter”. This idiom is used to express disappointment or bad luck, and it rhymes in Dutch. It gives me a personal dilemma since I’m crazy about peanut butter, and I don’t know why peanut butter is unfortunate, but I like the sound of it.

I also learned that some Dutch idioms are related to their culture and history. For example, one of the most common Dutch idioms is “gezellig”, which is hard to translate into English, but it means something like “cozy, warm, pleasant, sociable”. This idiom reflects the Dutch value of spending quality time with friends and family, especially in the cold and dark winter months. Another historical Dutch idiom is “de lakens uitdelen”, which literally means “to distribute the sheets”. This idiom means to be in charge, and it comes from the textile industry which was very important in the Netherlands in the past.

3. Dutch has a lot of loanwords

A third thing that I noticed about Dutch was how many loanwords it has. Loanwords are words that are borrowed from other languages and adapted to the native language. For example, in English, we have words like “pizza”, “sushi”, and “karaoke” that come from Italian, Japanese, and Korean respectively.

Dutch has a lot of loanwords, and they come from various sources. Some of the most common loanwords in Dutch are from French, such as “bureau” (desk), “cadeau” (gift), and “paraplu” (umbrella). These loanwords date back to the 17th and 18th centuries when French was the language of the elite and the culture in Europe. Another source of loanwords in Dutch is English, especially in the fields of technology, business, and entertainment. For example, some of the English loanwords in Dutch are “computer”, “manager”, and “film”.

I also learned that some of the loanwords in Dutch are from Indonesian, Hebrew, and Turkish. These loanwords reflect the colonial and multicultural history of the Netherlands, which had a lot of contact and trade with other countries and regions. For example, some of the Indonesian loanwords in Dutch are “ketjap” (soy sauce), “sambal” (hot sauce), and “toko” (shop). Some of the Hebrew loanwords in Dutch are “mazzel” (luck), “tof” (cool), and “gabber” (mate). Some of the Turkish loanwords in Dutch are “baklava” (pastry), and “yoghurt” (yogurt).

4. Dutch has a lot of diminutives

A fourth thing that I learned about Dutch was how many diminutives it has. Diminutives are words that are formed by adding a suffix to a noun to make it smaller, cuter, or more affectionate. For example, in English, we have words like “doggy”, “kitty”, and “baby” which are diminutives of “dog”, “cat”, and “child”.

Dutch has a lot of diminutives, and they are very easy to form. All you have to do is add the suffix “-je” to the end of a noun, and voila, you have a diminutive. For example, the word for “book” is boek, and the word for “little book” is boekje. The word for “girl” is meisje.

But the Dutch don’t stop there. They use diminutives for everything, even things that are not small, cute, or affectionate. For example, they use diminutives for drinks, such as “biertje” (little beer), and “wijntje” (little wine). They use diminutives for places, such as “stadje” (little city), and “huisje” (little house). They even use diminutives for people, such as “vriendje” (little friend or boyfriend) or “baasje” (little boss). If your father is called Dirk and you happen to be named Dirk Jr, then people will call you Dirkje.

I found out that the Dutch use diminutives for different purposes, such as to show affection, to be polite, to be humorous, or to be sarcastic. For example, they might say “wat een leuk jurkje” (what a nice little dress) to compliment someone, or “wat een stom jurkje” (what a stupid little dress) to insult someone. They might say “een kopje thee” (a little cup of tea) to offer a drink, or “een kopje kleiner maken” (to make a little head smaller) to threaten someone. They might say “een beetje” (a little bit) to be modest, or “een beetje veel” (a little bit much) to exaggerate. The next time your Dutch friend says the ETA is “een klein kwartiertje“, it means that they will arrive in a bit less than 15 minutes.

5. Dutch has a lot of fun

The last thing that I discovered about Dutch was how much fun it has. The Dutch language is not only diverse but also playful and creative. The Dutch love to make jokes, puns, and word games with their language, and they often surprise me with their wit and humor.

For example, one of the most popular Dutch word games is “limericks”, which are short poems with a specific rhyme and rhythm scheme. The Dutch limericks are usually funny, silly, or naughty, and they often involve names of places or people. Here is an example of a Dutch limerick:

Er was eens een man uit Deventer
Die was heel erg goed in inventer
Hij maakte een fiets van kaas en oud vlees
Maar die smolt al voor hij kon enter.

(There once was a man from Deventer
Who was very good at inventing
He made a bike from cheese and old meat
But it melted before he could enter)

Another example of Dutch humor is “palindromes”, which are words or sentences that are the same backward and forwards. The Dutch have some very long and impressive palindromes, such as:

Nelli plaatst op ‘n parterretrap ‘n pot staalpillen

(Nelli places on a ground floor stair a pot of steel pills)

As you can see, Dutch is a language that likes to have fun with its unique quirks. While it may not be the easiest language to learn, I find joy in the process of discovering new aspects of it every day. This newfound appreciation didn’t happen overnight, mind you, nor it suddenly emerged when I’m sipping my ‘koffie verkeerd‘ or relishing the ‘gezellig‘ atmosphere in mijn stadje the month leading up to Christmas, but it’s a journey of laughter and cultural understanding that I embrace wholeheartedly along the way.