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For 'lunch,' most people in Holland will use the English word.
If it's a hot meal, you could say middageten
('afternoon meal.')
For laughs, you could use the almost Medieval word het noenmaal
('the noon meal') - no Dutchman would say that, but it will be understood.
(It's a standard example at school.)
Asking for the bill in as restaurant, you could say:
Hoeveel is de schade?
which is literally,
'what's the damage?' like, 'How far does that
set me back?'
An extremely formal way of asking someone's name is:
Met wie heb ik het genoegen?
('Who is it that I have the pleasure [to meet]')
A polite way to ask if you have met someone before is:
Kan het zijn dat ik U ken?
(['Could it be that I know you?] - have we met before?')
If you're brave you could try the 'uneducated' version:
Ken 't zijn dat ik U kan?
(A and E are switched)
For a previous generation, these phrases were part of a joke about the
low level of education of the collaborators with the Germans in WWII:
Before the War, mayors would say to each other on meeting 'Kan het
zijn dat ik U ken?' - but during the War, mayors would say: 'Ken 't
zijn dat ik U kan?'
An extremely formal phrase for offering someone a drink is:
Mag ik U een verfrissing aanbieden?
('May I offer you a refreshment?') - but it's more often said in jest,
when opening a window or door in a stuffy room.
A fun expression of amazement:
Nou breekt m'n klomp.
('That takes the cake/biscuit.' - Literally: Now that makes my
wooden shoe fall apart.)
Other mild expressions of amazement:
Grote grutten
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(something like 'good grief!') -
alsjemenou
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(something like 'holy cow!')
Deksels!
is a very mild curse. No-one should be offended by it. It also means
'lids of pots & pans.'
Another very mild curse is drommels!
- I guess it has to do with donder ('thunder.')
Ik ben een eenvoudig iemand.
('I'm a plain and simple man (or woman)' - iemand is
'person,' man or woman)
Je kunt niet alles weten.
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('[You can't] It is not possible to know everything.')
't Blijft tobben.
('There's always something, things never go entirely right.')
Alle gekheid op een stokje
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('[All the silliness on a stick] - joking aside,'
now let's stop the joking and get down to business.)
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Copyright © Marco Schuffelen 2008.
All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, redistributed,
or hotlinked to.
Don't be a
dief (thief) /
dievegge (female thief) -
diefstal (theft) -
stelen (to steal) -
heler (dealer in stolen goods) -
hear Dutch -
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