When living abroad, it's often eye-opening to discover how certain idioms from your native language might sound rather peculiar in another.
For example, a Dutch saying like “an apple for when you’re thirsty” might lead to confusion. Contrary to what one might think, it doesn’t mean “a bit of money saved for rainy days”—it’s simply about having an apple to eat when you’re parched!
To give you a taste of the quirky and charming idioms from Dutch, I've compiled a list of some of my favourites. Enjoy exploring these expressions that might sound a bit odd but are full of character!
What the Dutch say | What they mean |
Nu komt de aap uit de mouw! > Now the monkey comes out of the sleeve! | As you might have thought, there is no monkey coming out of your sleeve. This idiom is used when the truth is revealed about a situation or someone. |
Alsof er een engeltje over je tong piest > As if a small angel pees on your tongue | This is probably the best one: it means that you absolutely LOVE the food that you’re eating. |
Iets onder de knie hebben > To have something under your knee | This means that you have mastered something and know exactly what you’re doing with it. |
Weten waar Abraham de mosterd halt > To know where Abraham gets his mustard | Basically, this has nothing to do with food – it means that you’re well informed about a certain subject. |
Helaas, pindakaas > Unfortunately, peanut butter | This is clear, right? No? It means “too bad”. I reckon it’s probably only a saying because it rhymes in Dutch. |
De kogel is door de kerk > The bullet is through the church | This means that finally, after long discussions, a decision has been made. Apparently, this comes from an old custom. In the past, churches were places you could not attack each other or shoot – so when an enemy did shoot in the church, this showed that the enemy meant serious harm and that battle was commencing. |
Iets met de Franse slag doen > Doing something with the French whiplash | This apparently comes from riding terminology. It means doing something half-baked or hastily. |
Iets voor een appel en een ei kopen > To buy something for an apple and an egg | To buy something very cheaply (and we all know the frugal Dutch love that)! |
Over koetjes en kalfjes praten > To talk about little cows and calves | This means small talk – for example when you’re not talking about anything significant, or maybe about the weather. |
Ik zal dat varkentje wel even wassen > I will wash that little piglet | This one means that you will take care of something and you will get the job done. Also, who doesn’t like piglets? |
What is your favourite idiom of all time? Do you know any good ones? Let us know!
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