You put in the effort and learnt the basics of Dutch. But even the most bilingual of Dutch sometimes throw the odd curve ball into the conversation. You’ve now experienced Dinglish.
That’s Dutch-English, or a directly translated phrase from Dutch to English that makes little or no sense. According to Joe Neeson, organiser of the international expat group The Delftians, “While potentially confusing, I think Dinglish is funny for those who speak Dutch and English.” To allow you to share in the joke next time a friend, colleague or random Dutch stranger uses Dinglish we have worked together to compile a list of common Dinglish phrases and words to help you through that next awkward conversation.
Five commonly used Dinglish phrases
Iemand op de kast jagen – Chasing somebody onto the closet.
Not to be confused with coming out of the closet, this phrase refers to pushing someone’s buttons or intentionally irritating them. It’s a light-hearted phrase, so if somebody apologises for irritating you by saying they were simply chasing you on the closet, don’t be alarmed. At least you know how to chase them right up into that closet with you by pointing out their mistake.
Nu komt de aap uit de mouw – Now comes the monkey out of the sleeve.
This refers to a situation when somebody accidentally gives away a secret piece of information which lets you know they have been lying to cover a hidden agenda. The English variation is ‘to let the cat out of the bag.’
Je maakt me blij met een dooie mus – You made me happy with a dead sparrow.
Used when somebody has been made happy with a piece of information that then turns out to be untrue, or that a piece of information was lacking which changes the outcome of the event. An example: if you are offered a ticket to a festival by a Dutch friend and you accept assuming it’s a gift (as it’s been offered to you) only to discover you have to pay for the ticket that would be a dead sparrow.
Hij viel met zijn neus in de boter – He fell with his nose in the butter.
Making reference to someone being lucky in a certain situation.
Je bent een dief van je eigen portemonnee – You’d be a thief of your own wallet.
This phrase refers to buying anything that is on sale or a very cheap price compared to what one would expect to pay for a similar product elsewhere.
Four commonly used Dinglish words
There are also a few words that you are likely to come across during your stay:
kippenvel: ‘chicken skin’ = goose bumps
handschoenen: ‘hand shoes’ = gloves
waterkoker: ‘water cooker’ = kettle
pindakaas: ‘peanut cheese’ = peanut butter
This is an updated version of a previous Survival Guide article.
Would you like to learn more about living in Delft and Dutch habits? Also see:
‘Surviving the hunt for a new bike’
‘Surviving emercency situations’
Do you have a question or comment about this article?
delta@tudelft.nl
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