10 funny Dutch expressions

Expressions are a great way to learn new languages. First of all, there's the new vocabulary. Second, you'll learn about the way sentences are structured. And third, you can surprise natives with you knowledge. So let's see 10 funny expressions in Dutch.

Iemand in het ootje nemen.
Literally, that's 'to take someone in the little o'. Which of course is a very silly thing to say in English. However, in Dutch it means to fool someone.

Het hek is van de dam.
Meaning the gate is from the dam. Well, that's silly again. But in Dutch it means there's a situation where everyone does what he or she wants. Chaos.

De ochtendstond heeft goud in de mond.
The morning has gold in its mouth. Why? Well, if you work a lot in the morning, while others are sleeping, you will get rich. So wake up early to become a millionaire!

Een ezel stoot zich geen twee keer aan dezelfde steen.
A donkey doesn't hit his head twice on the same stone. Means that you shouldn't make the same mistake twice.

De mosterd halen bij.
That's to get the mustard with someone or something. Meaning you're getting your inspiration from somewhere else, which is not specified here. It still has to be added after 'bij'.

Iemand bij de kraag vatten.
To catch someone with the collar. It means to apprehend someone.

Een oogje dichtknijpen.
Literally, that's to close one little eye. Meaning you'll allow someone to do something he or she shouldn't do.

Uit de doeken doen.
To do something from the clothes. That's an expression just to say to explain.

Tegen de lamp lopen.
To run against the lamp. That's when you get apprehended, when you're caught doing something you shouldn't.

Twee handen op één buik.
Two hands on one belly. When two persons really get along, you can say it.

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Common Dutch mistake: dt

Even the best do it: on the Flemish news agency VRT, there's a small 'dt' mistake. For foreigners, it can be very confusing. Can you find it in the picture?

Copyright: De Redactie

The dt-mistakes are often made, even by respected journalists. The 'problem' is that we can't hear the ending's difference between a -d and a -dt. So we have to rely on the grammar. And the grammar can be quite complicated in Dutch!

The easiest way to find out whether it's -dt instead of -t is to use another verb in the same sentence that doesn't end with -d. Instead of for example 'raden', which is to guess in Dutch, try 'zoeken' or 'werken'. If you hear a 't' with those verbs, the conjugated form will be with -dt, in this case 'raadt'.

And for those who rely on grammar rules: the -dt is only used for the second and third singular present. For the second person of the singular, the t is dropped if the pronoun (that's je or jij) is placed after the verb. There are no other uses in modern Dutch. An old-fashioned way for the imperative is used as well, but that's not modern Dutch.

And well... the mistake is 'zwembadverbod vindt ik paniekreactie'. The t is dropped, because the subject is 'ik', and that's the first person of the singular, for which there is never a dt.

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