The (sometimes blunt) Dutch phrases I learned from a work colleague
When I first began living in the Netherlands I quickly realised there were a few phrases the Dutch use almost constantly.
These include “Lekker!” (tasty), “Echt?” (really?), and “Leuk” (nice). Using a combination of just these three words can get you surprisingly far.
But I’ve also picked up a few in the workplace, and have slowly made a list of my favourites.
With a few exceptions, I’ve learned nearly all of these from my colleague Regine Reincke. As she’s leaving this week, I thought now was a good time to celebrate her language assistance by rounding them up in a blog. It has been just part of the way she supported me as a newbie at a company in the Netherlands.
I’d note that several of these Dutch phrases I’ve singled out may sound a little bit cynical. That’s partly because they amuse me the most. It’s also because I already knew several of the positive ones (“Leuk!”). But most of all it is because what I really admire about Dutch work culture is how direct it is, and how boldly they will call out the kind of business bullshit bingo that is tolerated much more in the US and UK. It is a country that naturally promotes something that Regine and I have frequently discussed, which is “radical candour”.
So if you subject your colleagues to a meeting they think is pointless and they will tell you so, possibly using one of the phrases below…
Geeltjesschuiver
Literally “Yellow (note) slider” but denotes a “Post-It note shuffler”. A handy phrase to use, disparagingly, about people who work in product management (like me) or in consultancy.
Spiekbrief
A cheat sheet or similar notes. ‘Spieken’ means cheating.
Een lange zit
Literally “a long sit”. An event that takes up a lot of time, and most of the time asks some extra endurance from its participants. ‘Die Wagner-opera is mooi, maar wel een lange zit’ (“That Wagner opera is beautiful, but it’s a long sit”).
Losse eindjes
Loose ends
Hahahaha buikpijn van het lachen hier.
“Hahahaha — I have stomach ache from laughing here.” Like “ROFL” it can be used ironically.
Beeldvorming
An unfair misconception.
Panklare oplossing
Prefab solution. Regine explains: “Both the words ‘Panklaar’ (ready to cook/fry) and ‘Hapklaar’ (ready to eat) are vaguely synonymous with prefab or ready-made”.
Je wordt op de proef gesteld
People are putting you through the test.
Kon minder
A reply to the question “How are you?” that is close to the British “Not bad”. More used in the north of the Netherlands. Like the British “not bad” it can also be used when you are truly impressed by something.
Een duivels dilemma
A diabolic dilemma.
Poolse Landdag
Literally ‘Polish Land day’. “A meeting involving every imaginable stakeholder, during which a lot is discussed and no decisions are made.”
Op je handen zitten
Do nothing (Literally “to sit on one’s hands”)
Brak
Slang for hungover. And for bad quality.
Alle kikkers in de kruiwagen houden
Literally ‘Keeping all the frogs inside the wheelbarrow’. There are few better ways to describe advanced stakeholder management.
Zonder wrijving geen glans
“If you don’t have the friction you don’t get the shine”. Regine explains: “The etymology is that of rubbing a piece of cloth against something so that it will shine. Like in Aladdin. So ‘wrijving’ in Dutch indeed means friction, but ‘wrijven’ (the verb) means ‘to rub against’ — so the double meaning is used here. Get it?” For me it is a great phrase that sums up why candid Dutch debates on projects are such a genuine positive.
Although I’ll no longer be learning new Dutch workplace phrases each week from Regine, I’m going to continue expanding my list. Further suggestions for words and phrases I should add are always welcome. Doei! (Bye!)
